Report a repair

In some circumstances, you could be charged for repairs that are normally our responsibility. This can happen when someone – either yourself, the people you live with or your visitors – damage, neglect or misuse your home. These are often called rechargeable repairs or rechargeable works. If the damage has been done accidentally, we’ll come and look at what needs to be done and we’ll give you an estimate before doing the work, so you know what to expect. If the damage needs to be repaired straight away because it’s an emergency, we’ll do the work anyway but we may charge you afterwards. If the damage has been done by a criminal, through vandalism or a break-in, you must report it to the police. We need a copy of the police crime reference number. If you don’t get this you could be charged for the cost of the repair. What happens when work is done to your home:

• You will know how much it will cost before the work is carried out
• You’ll be asked to pay once the job has been finished
• The contractor will ask you to sign a copy of a form which outlines the work done and the cost
• Afterwards you will be sent an invoice to pay
• You must never hand money over to anyone there and then
• Charges will include administration costs
• If you have contents’ insurance you may be able to claim money back from your insurance company. You’ll need to check if you’re covered

If you’re a tenant, you’re responsible for:

• Keeping your property clean and well decorated
• Letting us in so we can do our inspection and safety check every year (we need to do this by law)
• Reporting criminal damage or vandalism to the police (and getting a police crime report number)
• Taking steps to make sure doesn’t condensation builds up and cause a problem
• Doing what you can to stop more damage happening once a repair is needed
• Repairing or replacing minor things, sometimes called fixtures, (such as toilet seats, bath plugs, shower hose and head, changing batteries in smoke alarms
• Replacing broken or cracked glass
• Resetting trip switches and replacing light bulbs and tubes
• Trying to clear blocked pipes, gullies or toilets
• Cleaning out shower-heads
• If you’re asked, to move your things out the way before any major work is done on your home
• Repairing anything you’ve installed, this includes things like shelves or radiator coverings
• Replacing lost or replacement keys
• Tightening and adjusting hinges and catches on doors and cupboards
• Repairing minor cracks or holes in walls and ceilings

• We are responsible for structural repairs to your home, for repairs to essential supplies (such as water, gas, electricity) or any repairs where there could be a health and safety risk (such as paving, carpets and other things that can trip people up). However, if the damage has been caused by you, your family or someone visiting your home, you could be charged for the repair, even if it’s normally our responsibility. The things we are responsible for include:
• Repairing and maintaining the structure of the property (that’s the chimney, roof, walls, floors and stairs)
• Carrying out gas safety checks at least once a year for every home which has a gas supply
• Looking after external parts to the property (such as roofs, gutters and paving)
• Repairing and replacing internal fixtures, which are things like the bath, sinks and kitchen units
• All pipes, wiring and fixtures and fittings for heating, power and lighting, drainage and mains operated smoke detectors, skirting, worktops and floor tiles
• The shared areas in flats or maisonettes
• Looking after the shared gardens and open areas around our homes
• Fences and walls
• Steps and main paths that lead to the front or back doors (but not garden paths or patios)
• Brick outhouses
• Door entry systems, lifts, shared stairways and shared TV aerials