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Repairs and Maintenance

Every five years, each Council dwelling is surveyed in order to determine the degree of maintenance works required to be carried out. The surveyor responsible for your maintenance programme will take into account your comments as to what works are necessary and then produce a schedule of works to be undertaken within the resources available.

A copy of the schedule of works, together with the contractor’s name and telephone number will be forwarded to you prior to the works being undertaken.

Any defects reported that are the Council's responsibility, but outside the current year’s area of work will be inspected and, should there be a requirement, first aid repairs will be carried out to a degree relevant to the time cycle.

Tenants' Repair Obligations

You may be charged for the cost of repairs made necessary by damage, misuse or neglect and payment may be required before the work is carried out.

The Council is not responsible for damage to, or loss of, your fixtures and fittings, including furniture, carpets, clothing and household effects. You are therefore advised to take out your own insurance policy to cover the above eventualities.

Emergencies Repairs

For emergency repairs in office hours, please phone 01277 312562 (Direct Line)

Out of Hours Emergency Repairs Hotline: 01277 261112. Please only phone this number in an absolute emergency.

Gas leaks or suspicion of fumes from a gas appliance should be reported directed to Transco on 0800 111 999 immediately.

The out of hours emergency repairs system provides a 24 hour, 365 days a year emergency call out service for all our properties. It is very costly to send out a trade operative out of hours. It is therefore important that you only request a call out for genuine emergencies.

The Council defines a ‘genuine emergency’ as danger to life or limb or where there is a serious risk of considerable damage to the property.

• Total loss of electricity
• Burst water pipes
• Loss of water supply/hot water
• Total failure of central heating
• Restore flush to WC where a tenant is unable to flush with a bucket
• Roof leaks
• Make safe dangerous roof slates/chimneys
• Board up or reglaze windows for safety or security
• Blocked sewers

The Council undertakes to respond and carry out these repairs wherever possible within 24 hours

Call-outs for repairs which are not considered emergencies will be recharged at the full cost.

First aid works
The Council will carry out temporary works as and when required to afford wind and weather proof conditions, such works being sufficient to last until cyclical planned maintenance when the full repair will take place, or action is taken relative to the circumstances.

External painting
The Council shall make every reasonable endeavour to continue the paint its properties on a five year cycle to the high specification it now uses.

Communal areas internal redecoration
The Council shall make every reasonable endeavour to redecorate/wash down communal parts including halls, staircases, corridors as and when, in the opinion of the Head of Housing and Welfare Services, such attention is required, normally in line with the planned maintenance cycle.

Internal redecoration
Where the premises are designated ‘Aged Persons’ Dwellings’ or, in the opinion of the Head of Housing and Welfare Services, the tenant is unable to carry out internal redecoration by reason of old age, disablement, or physical handicap, the Council shall effect the redecoration within the current internal decoration cycle to the extent considered appropriate by the Council.

New properties
New and completely refurbished properties are inspected about six months after they are completed when they are checked for any defects. Tenants of such properties should make a note of any defects and inform the inspecting officer.

Empty properties
Essential repairs will be carried out in all premises becoming available for letting prior to occupation. All properties will be let in a clean and safe condition.

Garages
The Council shall maintain and keep in good repair all of the garages which it owns, within the curtilage of the individual dwellings and those situated on other sites, including the runways, forecourts and their boundaries. The tenant of a garage has the same responsibilities for the care of this building as the tenant of a house. Defects should be reported promptly. Rubbish must not be dumped. Neglected sites encourage vandalism to both garages and cars.