Repairs responsibilities Repairs responsibilities
for repairing and maintaining your home? This leaflet explains the basics about who is for repairs and maintenance within your home. For more detailed step by step guidance to individual repairs please see your repairs handbook, which has lots of information about our repairs service. can find all of the information that is in this handbook (as well as our latest news, information and policies) on our website at. If you don t have access to the internet you can use the computer in our reception or you can also use computers in your local library free of charge. If you do not have a copy of the repairs handbook call us on 01225 715 715 option 1, and we will send one to you to be kept with this leaflet, or see the repairs section of our website at /report-a-repair. What you can expect from us Because we want to provide you with a good service, we aim for repairs to be done quickly and to a good standard. Before contacting us, try to find the type of repair you need by checking your repairs handbook. Keep the handbook with you when you call or go online so you can refer back to it. Please call our customer service team on 01225 715715 option 1 or e-mail us if you have any questions regarding repairs or would like specific advice. Don t forget you can report your repair on our website 24 a day, 7 days a week at 2 3
r right to repair As a Selwood Housing tenant you have the right to a good quality service. can help us achieve the highest quality by giving us your feedback after every repair. Or, you can request an inspection of repair work that you consider to be unacceptable quality by contacting our customer services team. may be able to receive compensation if you report a repair that affects your health, safety or security, and we fail twice to repair the problem within the set timescale. could receive a flat rate award of 10 plus 2 a day up to a total of 50. This only applies to repairs under 250 in value and there are some exceptions. Please contact customer services for more information. Reporting a repair Day-to-Day Repairs If you need to report a repair, contact our customer services team by: Calling 01225 715715 option 1, Visiting our office Opening - 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 5pm on Fridays, Writing to us, E-mailing repairs@selwoodhousing.com or Reporting your repair online at using the MyAccount section of the website. We will need to know your name, address, contact telephone number, the best times for a repair to be done, and full details of the repair (using the Identify your repair section of the repairs handbook to help you). 4 5
Emergency Repairs If you need help when we are closed, call 01225 715999 for our emergency out-of- service. This number only deals with real emergencies such as: Water or sewage leaks, Electrical trips (but please check your trip switch and appliances first), Damage to your property caused by storms, and obscene, racist or personally offensive graffiti. Any other call outs may be charged for if they are not genuine emergencies. Repairs to communal areas We care about the environment that you live in. This includes communal areas and staircases as well as your home. If you see a fault or repair is needed, in the communal areas of your home, please let us know so that we can get it fixed Homes with a managing agent The repairs responsibilities may be slightly different for tenants living in a home with a managing agent. Please call 01225 715715 option 1 for more information. 6 7
Who are Silcoa? Silcoa is a repairs and improvement company that is part of Selwood Housing. Working together we aim to provide you with a quality and value for money repairs service. Because Silcoa is part of Selwood Housing we can adapt our services in response to your feedback. We will keep you updated on our performance and services through the Selwood Housing website and in our magazine, Working Together. for repairing and maintaining your home? The next section gives you advice on which repairs are our responsibility and which are yours. If you still have any queries about a specific repair then call customer services on 01225 715715 option 1 or e-mail: repairs@selwoodhousing.com. 8 9
Repairs responsibility Please use this table to look up who is for each repair and how it will be handled. Emergency Routine Work Heating & Hot Water Elderly and vulnerable tenants - heating between 21st October and 1st May Heating broken down Heating broken down - sub zero temperatures hot water tes Yes Conditions must be negatively affected by the lack of heating to be given enhanced priority. Yes This decision will be made when temperatures are forecast to be below zero for two or more days. hot water - Yes Tenants with medical conditions requiring hot water for bathing Water heating but not hot enough Setting heating controls We may agree a visit to show new tenants how to use heating controls. Partial heating loss Immersion heater faulty where there is a boiler tes Bleeding radiators We can help you but will Problems with radiators or individual storage heaters Other minor faults to heating system - not leaking The priority of this repair may be raised for elderly and vulnerable people depending on circumstance. This is for the main rooms in their home only. Blocked gas flue Yes We can help you, but we will charge you the cost if it is due to your damage or neglect. Sweeping chimneys with solid fuel systems once a year Both See comments We will sweep chimneys as part of servicing, where solid fuel central heating is present. Tenants are for sweeping flues in all other cases (e.g. fire heats room only). 10 11
Damage caused by chimney fires Damaged hearth tiles Replacement fire baskets, grates ash pans fire bars and fire bricks where there is an alternative central heating system Replacement cylinder jackets Plumbing tes We can help you but will We can help you but will The cost will be charged to you if it is due to your damage/neglect. Burst water main Yes calls will only be responded to if it is causing flooding to home or loss of water to the home. Total loss of Yes water supply Dripping or leaking taps or showers Minor plumbing repairs Minor water leaks - heating water supply Minor leaks from sink, bath and shower wastes Major leaks from sink, bath and shower wastes Urgent- completed within 7 days Leaking overflow Tap cannot be turned off - There is water pouring and no stop valve to tap Tap cannot be turned off but can be managed with stop valve to tap Freeing stop cocks and valves Damage to tenant s possessions and decorations caused by water leaks or other accidents Replacement pipe lagging Kitchens, bathrooms and toilets Blocked toilet - two in home Blocked toilet - only ground floor and disabled person unable to manage stairs Blocked toilet - only one in the home Yes tes Both We will patch up decorations but are not for damage to tenant s possessions, unless we have been negligent in our actions to address any leaks. Tenants should take out insurance to cover their possessions. We can help you, but we will charge you the cost if it is due to your damage or neglect. We can help you but will Yes We can help you but will Yes We can help you but will 12 13
Shower not working with tenant who has medical condition requiring a shower Shower not working Descaling or replacing shower heads, hoses, curtains and rails Tiles loose that need refixing Replacement of cracked or damaged tiles Repairs to kitchen cupboards and worktops Damaged kitchen cupboards and work tops tes We can help you but will We may replace with best match or white. Unless caused by work undertaken by us, when we will replace with a best match or white. Replacement doors, work tops and drawer fronts may be replaced with the best match available. We will not replace undamaged items for matching purposes. We can help you but will then charge you the cost. Replacement doors, worktops and drawer fronts may be best match available. We will not replace undamaged items for matching purposes. Replacement sinks and toilets where damaged through no fault of the tenant or their visitors Damaged sinks and toilets Bathroom & kitchen fittings - loo roll holders, medicine cabinets, mirrors, towel rails etc tes may be raised to if it is your only toilet and you are unable to use it. It may be replaced with white where there is no match. We can help you but will may be raised if it is your only toilet and you are unable to use it. It may be replaced with white where there is no match. Toilet seats Inside toilet only: We can help you but will then charge you the cost. Toilet seats in sheltered and hardwired properties with a wheelchair user living alone - This is the only toilet in the home or the toilet used by a wheelchair user Supplying and connecting cookers, washing machines, dishwashers etc The cost will be charged to you if it is due to your damage /neglect. 14 15
Drains and sinks Blocked mains drains or soil pipe Collapsed or faulty mains drains or soil pipe Blocked sinks, baths or showers - no system fault Faulty waste pipes causing blockages to sinks, baths or showers Sink and bath plugs and chains Gas tes Yes Please contact Wessex Water on 0845 600 4 600. Yes Please contact Wessex Water on 0845 600 4 600. We can help you but will Total loss of gas supply Yes It may be a gas supplier issue. But if it is your fault, we will charge you for the work. Gas leak Both Yes If you smell gas call the national gas emergency line on 0800 111 999. Gas meters and boxes Both We will renew one gas or electric box. Any additional boxes will be charged for. Electric Tenants appliances/ fuses/plugs Total loss of power or major fault with electric supply Partial loss of electric supply Situations with a risk of fire or electrocution tes Both Yes If only a trip on the consumer unit or found to be a fault with your appliances, you may be charged. Both Yes Minor electrical faults Resetting trip switches Yes We can help you but will then charge you the cost. Where a trip switch repeatedly trips it will be regarded as a loss of power. will be charged for the cost if the trips were caused by your own appliances. Changing fuses in consumer units Replacing burnt or cracked electrical fittings due to fair wear and tear Damaged/cracked electrical sockets/ light holders Yes We can help you but will then charge you the cost. Where a trip switch repeatedly trips it will be regarded as a loss of power. will be charged for the cost if the trips were caused by your own appliances. We can help you but will 16 17
Repairs to light holders and sockets Repairs to light holders on stairs where there is no alternative light tes may be raised for elderly or vulnerable tenants. Charging key meters We will charge you if we are called out for this. Faulty extractor fan Light bulbs, tubes and starters Replacing pull cords on light switches and showers below connection under electrical box Replacing pull cords on light switches and showers where broken in electrical box Electric meters and boxes Woodwork, doors and windows & stairs We can help you but will may be raised for elderly or vulnerable tenants, depending on circumstances. Both We will renew one gas or electric box. Subsequent boxes would be charged for. Easing doors The priority may be raised to 7 days where affecting a wheelchair user getting in to rooms. Easing windows tes Home insecure Both Yes might be charged for the work if the damage has been caused by you or forced entry by the police. Where caused by crime, let us know your crime number so you don t get charged. Faulty and dangerous staircase treads, handrails and banisters General repairs to staircase treads, handrails and banisters Adjusting doors and skirting or other fittings to fit floor coverings Broken glass and property insecure requiring boarding up Cracked glass or misted double glazed units not caused by tenant Replacement or additional keys Gaining entry due to lost keys Yes might be charged for the work if the damage has been caused by you or forced entry by the police. Where caused by crime, let us know your crime number so you don t get charged. We can help you but will Yes We can help you but will 18 19
Lock door changes - keys lost Lock changes with violent situation or stolen keys Faulty locks - only door and cannot open tes We can help you but will It might require approval from your neighbourhood manager. Yes We can help you but will It might require approval from your neighbourhood manager. Yes Faulty door locks Oiling locks and hinges Faulty door handles and bolts Damaged door handles and bolts House numbers, letter plates and door bells We can help you but will Adjusting locks Additional locks and bolts Shelving Damage caused by Police forced entry Supplying and repairing curtain poles, rails and other curtain/blind fittings Yes We can help you but will Walls & Plaster work Re-plastering tes Cracks in plaster assistance. Investigating structural cracks in walls Decorations inside Decorations damaged by work Damage to decorations caused by water leaks Other repairs to walls (outside) Severe dampness assessment Condensation, mould assessment Removal of mould caused by condensation due to tenants life style This may need monitoring over a long period before work can be done. We will make good damaged areas to best match only - not full decoration. We will make good damaged areas to best match only - not full decoration. should insure your own possessions and may wish to take advantage of the home insurance scheme we offer. Work will follow depending on cause. Advice will be given. Advice will be given. 20 21
Removal of mould caused by condensation due to a defect with the property Floors Defective floor covering in tenants home General repairs to floors Roofs tes may be raised where affecting medical conditions. Leaking roof We will attend as an emergency to undertake temporary repairs only. The full repair will dealt with by appointment. Loose tiles and other roof repairs Outside homes Other graffiti - tenants home Blocked gutters and down pipes Clothes lines Failure of door entry system where access is still available Supplying and repairing TV/Radio aerials and dishes Repairs to walls, out buildings, fences and paths where provided by Selwood Housing Repair of garden features and patios Timber treating sheds and fences Clearing gullies and drain covers of leaves and debris Maintaining, cutting and trimming gardens, trees and hedges Repair or replacement of fences, garden paths, sheds, greenhouses. Providing dustbins where there are not communal refuse facilities Other tes Contact your local council for wheelie bins and recycling boxes. Fire damage Both Yes Initial assessment and safety action. Flooding Both Yes Initial assessment and safety action. Severe storm damage Yes Initial assessment and safety action. Removal of wasps nests and other infestations but excluding rats r local council may help. 22 23
Removal of wasps nests and other infestations - ants, squirrels, rats, mice, flees, birds and bird nests Repairs to garages Attendance at unsafe structures tes Selwood will organise and pay for baiting and treatments and any building works associated with stopping rats from entering a property. Yes Initial assessment and safety action. Hat, coat hooks Keeping house and fixtures and fittings clean Any repair or replacement due to tenant neglect, damage or negligence or not fulfilling tenant repairing and maintenance obligations Taking reasonable steps to prevent frost and fire damage All tenant installed fittings and appliances including those supplied by social services or your local council through a Disabled Facilities Grant Variable Variable We may want you to correct the damage or we will do the work after appropriate notice and then charge you the cost. Both We will do the minimum required works to wet rooms to ensure they remain in use, e.g. repairing leaking floor coverings. Supplying and maintaining telephone lines and equipment Installing and moving meters Cleaning, testing and replacing batteries in smoke detectors Communal Areas Generally, Selwood Housing is for all repairs to communal areas in block of flats Defective flooring with a trip hazard in communal areas that cannot be managed by staff Defective flooring in communal areas Removal of wasps nests and other infestations - ants, squirrels, rats, mice, flees, birds and bird nests tes Both Lower electricity meters if they are not accessible to the tenant due to mobility issues. Both We will maintain, repair and replace any smoke detectors installed by us. Variable We may charge the person causing the damage if they can be identified. Yes Graffiti Removal Shared clothes lines in flats 24 25
Communal TV/Radio aerials and dishes - no reception tes We may charge the person causing the damage if they can be identified. Lift failure Yes call out - depends on circumstances. Light fittings, lamps, tubes and starters in communal areas where causing a safety risk Light fittings, lamps tubes and starters communal areas Failure of door entry Yes system where there is no alternative access Repairs to communal washing machines/dryers Emergency alarm (Lifeline) pull cords, pendants and speech modules Yes Lifeline will respond within one working day. 26 27
If you need this information in large print, on audio tape, CD or in another language please contact customer services on 01225 715 715. Selwood Housing Society Limited Bryer Ash Business Park, Bradford Road, Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 8RT telephone 01225 715 715 facsimile 01225 715 700 email info@selwoodhousing.com