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Tenants Repair Responsibilities
You share responsibility for looking after your home and are specifically responsible for the following:
Repairing deliberate or accidental damage:
If your home is damaged by your family, or by visitors, you will have to make sure that the damage is properly repaired.
Decorations inside your home and minor repairs of woodwork and plasterwork:
You must do this work unless you live in sheltered accommodation.
Chimney sweeping:
We only clean chimneys connected to gas and oil appliances.
TV aerials to individual homes:
We will only maintain shared systems which serve several homes.
Electrical fuses:
Check the appliance you are using before you report any faults to us.
Garden paths:
We repair only the paths that give access from public footways into and around your home.
Garden fences and gates:
We will repair only those fences and gates connected to public land.
Garden sheds and greenhouses:
We will not repair any garden sheds or greenhouses unless they were put up by us.
Small items such as keys, washing lines or shower curtains
We will only replace keys, washing lines or shower curtains in shared areas of sheltered housing schemes or flats.
Contents insurance
You must take out contents insurance to cover furniture, carpets, curtains and all your other personal possessions. Our insurance covers only the cost of repairing the building.
WE WILL NOT PAY FOR DAMAGE TO YOUR BELONGINGS - INCLUDING DAMAGE WHICH MAY BE CAUSED THROUGH PROBLEMS WITH THE BUILDING SUCH AS BURST PIPES OR LEAKING ROOFS.
How Quickly are Repairs Completed?
It depends how urgent the work is. There are four categories of work - each with its own target time:
Emergency Repairs (within 4 hours)
This service is available both during office hours and out of office hours for these kinds of repairs:
- Burst pipes which are causing significant damage
- Bare electrical wires
- Total loss of electricity
- Broken windows affecting security
- Blocked drains which are causing sewage to spill out
Urgent Repairs (within five working days)
Include mending or renewing:
- Running overflows
- Broken taps
- Damaged external doors
- Radiators or storage heaters which are not working
General Repairs (within 28 working days)
Include:
- Repairs to plasterwork
- Clearing guttering
- Repairs to kitchen units
- Repairs to internal doors
- Replacement of baths
Decorating your home
If you live in sheltered housing the Council will offer to decorate your home every five years. This will be emulsion paint for walls and ceilings and gloss for doors and skirting boards. The Council will offer you a choice of colours or you can supply your own paint and paper and we will apply them for you.
If you live in any other type of accommodation (house, bungalow or flat) you are responsible for decorating your home and keeping it to a reasonable standard
Tenants' Improvements and Alterations
You are allowed to make alterations and improvements to your home only with the written permission of the Council - we will not withhold our consent without good reason. If you wish to make any alterations to your home please write to your Housing Officer.
Examples of alterations are:
- Installing a driveway
- Making changes to gas or electrical installations
- Changing the internal layout of your property
- Putting in extra kitchen units
Compensation for Improvements
If you have made improvements to your home and decide to move you may be entitled to compensation from the Council. Compensation is given on a sliding scale depending on the age of the improvement and its condition. Examples of qualifying improvements are:
- Installing gas central heating
- Fitting of a shower
- Renewing your kitchen
- Cavity insulation
All work undertaken must have the Council's prior written permission and have been completed by suitably qualified persons, to all relevant building standards - you must also have all the receipts.
If you want more information, or wish to apply for compensation, please contact your Housing officer.
What Repairs are Tenants Charged for?
You're responsible for repairing deliberate or accidental damage and you will be charged if the Council has to undertake these repairs for you. If your home is damaged by, a member of your household or a visitor you will have to make sure the damage is properly repaired. This includes things like broken windows or damaged kitchen units.
If we do emergency repairs that are your responsibility, you'll be charged for the repair. As a tenant, you have a responsibility to take reasonable steps to prevent repairs from being necessary.
If you require further information please contact your Technical Officer.
Gas Safety
All gas installations and appliances owned by the Council are serviced EVERY year to ensure the highest standards of safety are maintained. If your gas system has not been serviced in the past year please phone: (01453) 754089 or 754087.
Make sure you know where the main gas stopcock is (usually beside the meter) and how to turn the gas off in an emergency.
If you smell gas DO NOT:
- Use matches, cigarettes or naked flames
- Press electrical switches (even bells) or turn lights on or off
If you smell gas phone: 0800 111 999
For further information, visit Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about repairs
