Repairs - council housing

The contractor can generally only do the work that has been ordered.

But if you have other repairs that are outstanding you should ask the contractor and depending on the nature of the job, they will try to complete that work wherever possible,

Please be aware that contractors also have other appointments with tenants that they must keep and do not always have the necessary equipment and materials to do other work.

For safety reasons some work can only be carried out by certain contractors, such as gas repairs that can only be done by Gas Safe registered plumbers.

We have guidelines on how long different repairs should take. The main types of repairs are:

Emergency work: within 24 Hours

These are repairs which if not dealt with very quickly could cause injuries or further damage. This includes things like burst pipes, blocked drains,securing windows or doors, and loss of electricity.

In the event of an emergency you should contact the Housing Response Team on 01530 454635 for advice on what actions can make the property safe.

If you can't carry out the advice yourself and a neighbour, family member or friend can't help, the a worker will call that day.

If you call between 5pm and 8.45am Monday to Friday, or on a weekend or Bank Holiday on 01530 454789 a contractor will call and make the property safe.

Where the contractor makes the property safe, a return visit will be arranged to finish the repair the next working day.This will happen unless parts are not available or it is not an emergency, then it will be done within the relevant category and timescale.

If that happens the repair will be completed at the earliest opportunity. We will advise you of progress until the repair is complete.

If you are vulnerable or have special needs, we will take appropriate measures in addition to the make-safe policy. For example, temporary heating may be provided in certain circumstances.

Vulnerable tenants will receive a quicker response to emergency work such as heating and hot water repairs, all year round.

Urgent work: within seven days

These are repairs which need quick attention and don't require an inspection first.
These include re-fixing toilet seats and repairing minor leaks.

Routine work: within 28 days

These are less urgent repairs such as leaks to a gutter, repairing a noisy heating system or fitting a light switch.
Some of these repairs may need to be inspected before the repair can be done.

The vast majority of repairs are paid for out of the money we collect in rent.

You will be asked to pay for any repairs that have been caused by damage to, or misuse of your home caused by you, your family or friends.

However, the contractor will not ask you for any money when they call.

Your housing officer will be able to tell you more about what repairs you may be asked to pay for and how to pay.

You have the right to appeal if you don't agree with a decision to charge you for repairs.

When you report a repair you need to tell us:

• Your name, address and home phone number if you have one. Leaving your phone number will help us if we need to contact you
• As full a description of the problem as possible
• When it would be convenient for the work to be done
• Details of any special needs; for example, if it might take you a little bit longer to answer the door
• Whether you would like an appointment.

If in doubt about the offer of an appointment, please ask when you report the repair.

All contractors carrying out work for us will show you their identity card. Always ask to see this card before letting any contractor into your home. If they can't show you a card, or you have any reason to be suspicious, don't let them in.

Any contractor doing work on our behalf will treat you and your home with courtesy and respect.
They will try to cause as little mess and disruption as possible and will use dustsheets to protect your home.
They will do their best to clear up when finished and remove any rubble or materials that day.

The contractor will tell you:

• What work they have come to do
• Which rooms they will need to work in
• Roughly how long the work will take
• Whether your gas, electricity or water will need to be turned off and for how long.

From time to time we may need to gain access to your home to do a survey. This could be for a number of reasons:

• Prior to major repairs being undertaken
• To update records on the condition of your property
• To carry out specialist surveys.

Do not allow any person into your home if they do not carry the relevant identity card.

If you are not in when the contractor calls, they will leave a card asking you to make a new appointment.

If you miss appointments for repair work, you may incur a charge.

If the contractor is unable to attend an appointment, they will contact you to explain the delay and make arrangements to call at a later time.

If an appointment is missed and you haven't been contacted, please call Housing Response Team

We, or the contractors working for us will:

• Help you identify the repair needed
• Tell you the maximum time we will take to complete the repair
• Offer you an appointment for all urgent and routine repairs at a time that is convenient to you
• Write to you by post and confirm details of your repair,as well as any appointment that we made for you
• Take care to protect your furnishings while doing repairs
• Tidy up mess and remove rubbish within two working days of finishing the repair
• Inspect ten per cent of all completed repairs to check the quality of work
• Monitor our performance and quality of service and publish performance figures