Keeping your home in good condition
We aim to provide a friendly and prompt repairs service where work is carried out to a good standard with minimum inconvenience to you. We have a dedicated contractor who will carry out most maintenance work to your home, they will wear uniform and carry ID. Always ask to see ID when someone calls at your home. On occasions there may be certain work or checks that our main contractor cannot complete and may need to use an alternative specialist contractor. We aim to inform you of this wherever possible, but if it is an emergency we may not be able to. If you want to check the identity or details of any contractor please contact customer services. When we first let you your home we will have provided it to you in a condition that we expect you, and us, to maintain.
It is our responsibility under the tenancy agreement to keep
- The exterior of your home and its basic structure in good repair
- Installations such as central heating, water heating and the supply of gas and electricity in good working order
- Common areas in reasonable repair, reasonable decoration, and fit for use
- The exterior of the property in a good state of decoration
It is your responsibility to
- Report the need for repairs to your home as soon as possible
- Take care of your home and to make sure that you, members of your household and visitors do not damage or misuse it
- Repair or replace anything in your home that you or anyone else has either damaged or not taken proper care of. This includes:
- Windows, doors, locks and keys
- Washbasins, bath, WC pan and seat
- Kitchen units and worktops
- Utility meters and meter boxes
- Repair or replace anything in your home or garden that you fitted or installed, or that was 'gifted' to you, or you took responsibility for when you moved in
- Ensure the condition of your home does not deteriorate because of carelessness or general neglect, this includes condensation caused by the way you are living in your home, or hoarding
- Keep the inside of your home in good decorative condition
- Carry out minor maintenance tasks such as: change lightbulbs or strip lights, replace tap washers, replace shower hoses and curtains
Under the terms of your tenancy agreement with us, we ask that you do not paint the exterior of your home or any internal fixtures or fittings such as kitchen units and windows. If you have a garden we expect you to keep your garden, hedges, walls and fences maintained, please do not make any structure changes, without first consulting us.
We may charge you for fixing a problem with your home or garden it if it was caused by neglect or misuse by you, your household or your visitors.
Any damage caused by the emergency services, for example, in forcing entry to your home, may be recharged to you depending on the circumstances. We will consider each case individually.
Access to your home may be required immediately in an emergency, for example: if a leak is causing damage or threatening someone’s safety. Should we be unable to gain access in an emergency we may need to force entry into your home.
Tenant repair responsibilities
- Keeping your home clean and tidy and well decorated
- Ensuring that drains and external gullies (except in shared areas to flats) are kept clear
- That nothing is put down toilets or bath and sink drains that could cause a blockage
- Keeping the garden and dividing fences, walls and hedges in good condition
- Putting your rubbish out regularly and securely, on the day of the bin collection
- Repairing, at your own cost, any damage caused by you, your family or visitors
- Reporting all repairs the council are responsible for promptly
- Only making alterations with the council's permission
Council housing repair responsibilities
- Carrying out an annual Gas Safety check and service of every gas, or solid fuel heating system
- Maintaining the outside of your home - including chimneys, roofs, drains, gutters, outside pipes, outside doors and windows, including their frames, external decoration
- Repairing some parts inside your home - including plaster work (excluding minor surface cracks), internal plumbing, power and lighting, carpentry such as floors and stairs (but not kitchen / bathroom units or cupboards)
- Repairing the area around your home, the front path or steps leading to your home and any shared areas of the building your home may be part of
- Maintaining communal door entry systems, communal TV/satellite systems, lifts, stairwells, windows and doors, if you live in a flat
From time to time the council housing service may want to carry out works to your home that will improve it, such as installing more energy efficient measures. It is our responsibility to ensure that council homes are safe, secure and well maintained now and in the future.
If we contact you about updating your home to make it more energy efficient we will ensure you are consulted fully before this important work commences.