Other formats available Care and repair of your home

Transcription

1 Other formats available Care and repair of your home A handbook for tenants & leaseholders Revised February 2014

2 Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. The landlord s obligations 2 3. Tenants and leaseholders responsibilities 3 4. How to prevent damage 5 5. How to report a repair 8 6. What to expect when a contractor calls How long repairs take Gas leaks and gas safety Repairs that tenants pay for Tenant compensation scheme Decoration grant New tenant allowances Adaptations for tenants with disabilities Insurance Customer Care Complaints procedure 23

3 1. Introduction KNH is responsible for keeping your home in a good state of repair, on behalf of Kirklees Council. To do this, we run a repairs service in partnership with our main contractor, Kirklees Building Services. Our aim is to get the job right the first time and shorten the chain between you and the person who does your repair work. This should result in quicker response times and improved tenant satisfaction. With your help, we should be able to make the repairs service work even better. 1

4 2. The landlord s obligations KNH has a legal duty to carry out repairs and maintenance on your home. Your home should have: no structural defects; fixtures and fittings (installed by us) that are in good repair; water, electricity and/or gas services and any heating appliances (put in by us) that work properly and are safe; sinks, baths, toilets and drains that all work properly; common parts and shared facilities that are properly looked after and are in good working order. This includes door entry systems, lifts, rubbish chutes and stairway lighting; an external structure that is wind and weather tight and in good decorative condition. If any of the above has failed through fair wear and tear, KNH must repair them or make them safe. Council tenants will not be charged for repairs that are due to fair wear and tear. But if the repair is due to other causes, we may ask the person responsible to pay for the repair (see page 17). Leaseholders will be charged for repairs carried out to communal areas and are responsible for repairs associated with their own properties. For more information, please see the Leaseholders Guide. We advise you to take out insurance that covers accidental damage to fixtures and fittings, as well as your belongings. A leaflet is available from any KNH office or phone for a copy. 2

5 3. Tenants and leaseholders responsibilities You must take reasonable care of your home, both inside and out. You must report any repairs as soon as you can to prevent any damage getting worse and to allow us to look at the problem and make repairs if necessary. As a Kirklees tenant, you are responsible for: any deliberate or accidental damage that could have been prevented with reasonable care; anything that you have fitted yourself (except gas appliances that you have signed over to KNH); replacing light bulbs and curtain rails; internal decorations in your home; keeping your garden and any shared areas, such as stairways and landings, clean, tidy and clear of rubbish; hairline cracks to plaster work; checking whether your own electrical goods are safe and not able to cause trip switches in the consumer unit to cut off electric power; ensuring that drains are not blocked due to inappropriate items being flushed down the toilet or emptied into gullies. Leaseholders are responsible for: the internal fittings and fixtures in their homes; paying part of the costs of any repairs required to communal facilities such as shared roofs, communal lighting, drains and other items that relate to the repair of the structure; 3

6 paying for their buildings insurance cover through the service charge. They can make claims against this if they suffer damage to their property by storm, fire or certain accidents. To request an insurance claim form contact the Insurance Section on: Please note: Wear and tear is not covered on the buildings insurance. KNH is not responsible for the following and will not do them as responsive repairs: Lost keys which then require a lock change. Dividing fencing between properties - the responsibility for this fencing may be that of a property not owned by the Council and any repair to that fence will need to be agreed before KNH can order work. Hairline cracks to plaster work - tenants are responsible for taking care of these when decorating. Internal decorating and repairing plaster damaged when using steam strippers or not taking care to remove old wallpaper carefully. Doors that need to be eased when new carpets are fitted. Fixtures and fittings installed by tenants. Repairing floor coverings other than fixed vinyl tiles. Removing and refitting carpet/laminate flooring that needs to be removed to allow a repair to be undertaken. 4

7 4. How to prevent damage Most serious damage to properties is caused by leaking pipes, blocked drains and fire. Leaks KNH has tried to reduce the number of burst pipes by improving insulation in most homes, both in the walls and lofts. You can help further by insulating other pipe work and by using the central heating when it s cold. If you do get a burst pipe, do the following: turn off the water at the stop cock; switch off the electricity at the mains; switch off the central heating system; drain the system by opening all taps and run them till they run dry; switch off any electric immersion heater. When you report a leak, we will aim to respond as quickly as possible (see page 13 for - How long repairs take). In the meantime, if you can catch the water in pans or buckets, please do so. Be prepared: make sure you know where your stopcock / water shut off valve is and test it to make sure it works. 5

8 Use of heating systems Most KNH properties have been fitted with modern central heating systems, and you need to know how to operate them correctly. If you do not have an operating manual for your system, please let us know and we will provide you with one. KNH Energy Advisors can help you cut the cost of heating as well as advise you on the best ways to use your system. Call for more details. Condensation / damp problems Most of the time, the problem is due to condensation, which forms when water vapour turns to water, especially on cold surfaces like windows and external walls. The biggest cause of condensation is people s lifestyles. A short film about preventing this, is available online go to youtube and search for KNH Damp problems. Condensation can result in mould growth. You can help reduce this problem by: wiping down tiles after showering wiping condensation away using the heating system correctly providing ventilation to rooms keeping bathroom/kitchen doors closed when cooking or showering. If you do experience problems with damp and mould growth. Call to report a repair:

9 KNH can help you by providing advice on how to prevent the problem in future. Energy advisers can also talk to you about how best to use your central heating, contact for more information. Where the damp is caused by a failed damp proof course or by water penetration, we will ensure the repair is carried out to resolve the problem. Blocked drains Do not misuse the toilets by flushing nappies or other items down the toilet, or by pouring cooking oil, food, paint, chemicals etc down the sink. Blocked drains can cause flooding and can be very expensive to repair. We will charge tenants for these repairs if the damage is caused by misuse. Fire KNH tries to help prevent injury and damage through fire, so all our properties have smoke detectors, which are serviced once a year. Do not take batteries out of smoke detectors or disconnect them. It could cost you your lives. If the detector is not working then please report it, call and KNH will arrange to repair or replace it. If a fire occurs: get everyone out of the house by the safest route; close all doors behind you if possible; if you live in a flat do not use the lift and follow the fire evacuation procedures for your specific building; alert your neighbours and dial 999 for the Fire Service. 7

10 5. How to report a repair By telephone: Call the repairs call centre, Kirklees Direct, Monday - Friday 8am - 6pm Saturday - Sunday 8am - 4pm For instances when there is an immediate danger to the occupants or risk of further damage to the property phone the out of hours emergency repairs line. Out of office hours, emergency repairs Including weekends and Bank Holidays By housing.direct@kirklees.gov.uk In person: You can ask for help to report a repair at your neighbourhood housing office, where courtesy phones are available. When you report a repair, we need to know your name and address or post code; a telephone contact number (work, home or mobile); the times when someone will be at home to let us in to inspect the repair or carry out work. If you are given a two hour or one working day priority, someone must be in at all times. details about the repair needed and how it happened; if the repair is to an item that we have fitted; if you would like an appointment for the repair; if you have already reported the same repair in the past 12 months and it is faulty again; 8

11 details of any disabilities or other relevant information such as health and safety risks that may affect what priority we give the repair. If you would like an appointment Appointments can be made for three, five and 25-day repairs, inside your home and are available Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, except bank holidays. All day, morning or afternoon appointments are available as well as appointments in between the school runs. If you have agreed to an appointment time, then we expect you to be in to provide access. If you are not in, then we leave a card and cancel the job. If you cannot keep the appointment, please contact Kirklees Direct on so that we can rearrange the visit. If we are unable to gain access, we will not be able to do the repair until you get in touch and arrange a new time. Repairs receipts The repairs receipt includes the trade which will be attending, a job number and appointment date (if already agreed) and a contact number. If we have your landline number only you will receive a paper copy of the repair receipt. If we have your mobile then you will receive the repairs receipt in a series of text messages. If you are unhappy with the repair or the service you received you can complain to Building Services on If the repair is not going to be ordered, or is to be placed in a planned programme, we will let you know in writing. 9

12 6. What to expect when a contractor calls All contractors working for KNH should show you an 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 other reason to be suspicious, please don t let them in. If in doubt - keep them out! Any contractor doing work for KNH will treat you and your home with courtesy and respect. They will try to work with as little mess and disruption as possible and will do their best to clear up when they have finished and remove any rubble or materials the same day. They will: carry identification badges at all times; keep you informed of progress on any repair work; keep your home secure and safe; respect your privacy and show consideration to your wishes; carry out work in a healthy and safe manner; not smoke, play music or use your electricity; clean up after work is complete; keep noise and dust to a minimum; 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; 10

13 whether your gas, electricity or water will need to be turned off and for roughly how long. How you can help contractors to carry out work in your home KNH is responsible for the health and safety of its contractors, and new smoking legislation requires work places to be free of tobacco smoke. We therefore request that you don t smoke when someone is working in your home. We can only do repairs inside the home if we can get in to do them at the times agreed. Our contractors cannot pick up keys to your home from someone else. Carpets or laminate flooring may need to be removed for some repairs. The contractor will try to notify you of this in advance. They are not responsible for removing or refitting these items after the repair has been done. Our contractors understand that they are carrying out the work in your home and will try to reduce disruption to the absolute minimum. However, to protect the health and safety of your family and visitors to your home, we ask that you: Control any pets or find somewhere else for them to stay while work is being carried out. Keep children away from work areas, tools, materials and scaffolding, particularly when contractors are not present. Take extra care to make sure that children do not touch any substances such as sealants, glues, or paints that may have been inadvertently left behind, as these substances may be dangerous. 11

14 Always follow any instructions on signs or that the site teams give to you. Comply with requests to prepare your home for the work. For example, make sure valuables are locked away and remove any furniture, pictures or ornaments from the room where the work is being carried out. Don t go into any restricted areas inside or outside your home. Don t try to reconnect your gas or electric cookers - this will be done by a qualified contractor. Don t cover fridges or freezers left on during the works as this can damage them. If you have any concerns about any aspect of the work, please talk to the contractor or call Building Services on immediately. Additional minor repairs identified when the contractor visits The contractor can generally only do the work that has been ordered. However, in some cases they can do other small repairs. Though there are strict limits to how much extra work can be done: The extra repairs should not take longer than one hour. The contractor can only use materials they already have with them. Workers are not allowed to do jobs outside their own trade. You (or a representative) must sign a work request sheet to show that you have asked for the extra work. 12

15 You can get more details from your neighbourhood housing team. What happens if the job isn t finished on the first visit? Most repairs are finished on one visit. If different trades are needed to complete the repair, the contractor will arrange this. 7. How long repairs take Two hour repairs If there is immediate danger to the occupants or the risk of further damage to the property, we would aim to respond to the following within two hours: flooding gale damage gas explosion house fire severe vandalism that has left your property unsafe Same day or next working day If we think the repair may be a risk to health and safety but there isn t an immediate danger to the occupants or risk of further serious damage to the property, we will aim to respond the same day or the next working day after the repair is reported. Examples: total loss of water supply lift not working loss of gas supply total or partial loss of space or water heating between 1st November to 30th April 13

16 Providing access for two hours or same day or next working day responses You need to provide access at all times when a job is given a two hour response. For same day or next working day responses, access needs to be provided on the day you report the repair and for the next working day after you have reported the repair. If no one is in when the contractor calls, we will leave you a card, advising you that the job will be cancelled, asking you to ring us to re-arrange a time to visit again. This may not always be given the same priority as the initial order and you may have to agree a specific appointment time for the second visit. Three-day These are urgent repairs, which are unlikely to be a danger to health or cause further damage to the property. Appointments are available. Target time: three working days after being reported. Examples: blocked basin waste partial loss of electricity partial loss of water supply total or partial loss of space or water heating between 1st May to 31st October 14

17 Five-day These are less urgent repairs where there is little chance of further damage to other parts of the property. Appointments are available. Target time: five working days after being reported. Examples: repairs to cooker circuit re-washer of taps re-glazing with standard glass 25-day These are non-urgent repairs that won t cause further damage and where there may be a need to replace larger items or order materials from suppliers. These jobs may need to be measured by the contractor to see how long it will take to do the work or order replacement parts. Appointments can be made for all internal routine repairs. Target time: 25 working days from being ordered. Examples: roof repairs (unless there is a leak) door repairs (unless they aren t secure) repairs to kitchen fittings 15

18 8. Gas leaks and gas safety Gas leaks are a major danger and require immediate attention. If you smell gas, follow these simple steps: Turn off the gas supply immediately. The main gas on/off control is next to your gas meter. Do not smoke or use naked flames such as matches. Do not turn any electric switches on or off as they can ignite gas. Once the supply is off, open all windows and doors to allow the gas to escape. Ring Gas Emergency Service on and report a gas leak. A textphone is available for deaf and hard of hearing people: If you smell gas, act immediately and contact the number above. Do not call our repairs number as this could delay action. The gas could be leaking from pipes outside the house which we are not allowed to deal with. Landlord s responsibility for gas safety We must carry out an annual gas safety check on all properties where we have installed gas appliances. We will tell you seven days in advance that we need to gain access to your property so please make sure we can get in. If you don t give us access, we can get a court order and force entry into your home to carry out these tests. Failure to provide access can result in eviction. 16

19 Gas safety is important Please help us to keep you safe. It is illegal to allow any unqualified worker to fit or repair gas appliances in your home. Faulty appliances can kill. If you wish to fit a new gas appliance, the gas fitter must be Gas Safe registered. When we carry out our annual safety check, if we find that any of your own appliances are unsafe or faulty, we will disconnect them. 9. Repairs that tenants pay for KNH is not legally responsible for damage that you cause to your home, or damage caused by your family, friends or visitors. If we decide that the repair is chargeable, you will be asked to get the repair done yourself or pay for us to get the work done for you. If you decide to do the work we will return in 28 days to check it has been done satisfactorily. You may not have to pay if any of the following apply: the damage was caused by an accident which no reasonable degree of care would have prevented; the repair is due to vandalism or deliberate damage by a third party and this has been proved to the satisfaction of KNH; you have successfully appealed against the recharge. If you are asked to pay for the repair, you will be provided with a fixed price quote and will be expected to sign a form agreeing to pay for the repair. Once the work is ordered, you will be sent an invoice to pay for the work. 17

20 If you do alterations to your property without permission you could be faced with a charge when you leave the property if any alterations are not up to the required standard. Leaving your property When you leave the property you will need to leave it in a good state of repair, clear of furniture and rubbish. With all internal doors in place, and any damage repaired before you leave. You can leave your carpets, curtains if they re in good condition, by agreement with your housing officer. If you leave items in your house we will dispose of them and charge you for clearance. Useful telephone numbers Applying for permission to carry out an improvement: Request for collection of household waste: Arranging payment of chargeable repairs (Rent Assist): We advise you to take care of your home and leave it in good condition when you move out. The cost of chargeable works carried out by KNH can be an unexpected expense. 18

21 10. Tenant compensation scheme We have a compensation scheme allowing tenants to claim for the extra cost of using electric heating and water heating appliances when gas appliances aren t working. We aim to complete all repairs to gas heating appliances within three to five working days of being told about the problem. If the repair takes longer, then compensation is currently payable at the following rates: Loss of gas space heating where it is the only form of heating per week or part of a week (if you have a separate gas or electric fire, you may not qualify for this payment). Loss of gas water heating per week or part of a week. Loss of full central heating per week where there is no other form of space or water heating. The contractor will give you information about compensation when they call to repair your gas appliance, and they believe it will take longer than five working days to repair. They should also offer to provide you with temporary electric heaters which they will deliver to your home and collect when the gas appliance is fully working. 19

22 The right to repair scheme The right to repair scheme was introduced for council tenants in 1994 to make sure that certain small, urgent repairs that could affect health, safety or security are done quickly. If the repair qualifies, then you may be entitled to compensation of 2 per day ( 50 maximum) if the repair is not completed within target times. You can get more information on which jobs qualify and compensation claim forms from your neighbourhood housing team. 11. Decoration grant You are eligible for compensation if we have caused damage to decorations in your home whilst carrying out a repair. The amount of compensation paid will be decided following an assessment of the extent of the damage. Contact us for details. 12. New tenant allowances You may be eligible for an allowance if you move into a new council home that is poorly decorated. Contact us for details. 20

23 13. Adaptations for tenants with disabilities If you cannot make full use of your home because you have an illness or disability, you may be able to have your home adapted. Contact the Council s Gateway to Care service to arrange an assessment. If they can help, they will contact the Council s Aids and Adaptations team, who will decide what work needs doing. You will be told whether or not you will have to pay towards the cost of the aid or adaptation. This will depend on your income. For more information, call Gateway to Care on Or visit in person at: Customer Service Centre, Civic Centre 3, Huddersfield, HD1 2TG Gateway to care, Walsh Building, Town Hall Way, Dewsbury, WF12 8EQ You can also gatewaytocare@kirklees.gov.uk or visit the website at 21

24 14. Insurance KNH has an arrangement with an insurance provider to offer low cost home contents insurance to our tenants, and we strongly recommend that you take out insurance through this scheme or another provider. KNH does not insure your belongings, furniture or decorations (including floor coverings), so if a problem occurs, you will not be covered unless you have taken out insurance. We take out insurance for damage caused accidentally by a contractor repairing the property. If this happens, we will need to look at anything that has been damaged before we can deal with a claim, so please do not throw anything away. Help if your home is burgled KNH works closely with West Yorkshire Police to reduce house burglaries and these are presently at the lowest level for many years in KNH homes. In the event of your home being burgled the local Police Crime Prevention Officer will be happy to offer support they will call and offer you advice and guidance. 15. Customer Care A right to repair compensation scheme is available when a contractor has failed to complete works within government targets - see page 20. We carry out quality checks on 10% of all jobs completed. We carry out an annual satisfaction survey and other forms of tenant feedback on the repairs service. 22

25 We hold annual service standards conferences for representatives of all tenants and residents associations. We also attend Tenant Committees where tenants and residents associations can issue performance improvement notices. We have regular meetings with the Kirklees Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations Quality Homes Working Group, where we report on performance and service delivery. We can provide information in several minority languages and different formats for those with special communications needs contact your neighbourhood housing office. 16. Complaints procedure You can complain by: using the pre-paid reply card on your repair receipt; calling the Building Services free phone customer care line number: ; contacting your neighbourhood housing team for work carried out by KNH Estate Caretakers (see contact details). What happens next? Once we get your complaint, we will try to solve the problem straight away. If we need more time to look into the matter, we will then reply within the following timescales: We will contact you by telephone within six working days of getting your complaint. This reply will usually deal with the matter. 23

26 If we need time to investigate, we will write and tell you why. We aim to reply within ten working days of getting the complaint. If we cannot deal with the complaint in the above timescales, we will tell you why and let you know when you can expect a reply. If you are not happy with our reply, you can then ask the Customer Services Manager to look into the matter. Please contact: The Customer Services Manager Perseverance House St. Andrew s Road Huddersfield HD1 6RZ If you are still not satisfied after we have fully investigated your complaint, you can complain in writing to: Housing Ombudsman Service 81Alwych London WC2B 4HN Telephone: info@housing-ombudsaman.org.uk 24

27 Contact KNH Telephone: KNH Text Relay - Deaf and hearing impaired customers can contact KNH by dialling Batley Birstall Town Hall, Market Place, Batley. WF17 5DE Monday to Thursday 1.30pm to 5pm Friday 1.30pm to 4.30pm Birstall Library, Market Street, Birstall, WF17 9EN Monday, Thursday & Friday 9.30am to 12.30pm Brackenhall, Deighton & Chestnut Centre, Deighton, Huddersfield Huddersfield, HD2 1HJ Call to arrange an appointment either at the centre or at a more convenient location Cleckheaton & Heckmondwike Town Hall, Cleckheaton. BD19 3RH Monday to Friday 9am to 12.30pm Colne Valley, Crosland Moor, Newsome Dalton, Dearne Valley & Holme Valley Huddersfield Customer Service, Civic Centre 3, Market Street, Huddersfield, HD1 2EY Monday to Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 9am - 4:30pm Dewsbury & Mirfield Dewsbury Customer Service Centre, The Walsh Building,Town Hall Way, Dewsbury, WF12 8EE Monday, Wednesday & Thursday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am pm Friday 9am pm

28 Repairs Contact Centre Mon - Fri 8am to 6pm Deaf and hearing impaired customers can use the text relay service. Using a telephone dial Emergency out of hours team Evenings after 6pm, weekends & bank holidays Deaf and hearing impaired customers can use the text relay service. Using a telephone dial Transco (gas leaks) Deaf and hearing impaired customers can use the text relay service. Using a telephone dial Customer Care (Building Services) Deaf and hearing impaired customers can use the text relay service. Using a telephone dial Ref: KNH/52/08.04 Printed on recycled paper. Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing is controlled by Kirklees Metropolitan Council under Part V of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.