Your quick guide to home repairs and maintenance

Gas and electricity supply

If you smell gas, please telephone National Gas Emergency on 0800 111999 to visit your home and isolate the meter to make safe where necessary. If there is no electricity to the property, Please check with your energy supplier before contacting us.

Your water, gas and electricity details ( fill in for reference)

Water supplier:

Gas supplier:

Electricity supplier:

Mains stopcock location:

Gas isolation valve:

Electricity consumer unit location:

The full version of this document is available on our website at fairhive.co.uk

* All information correct at the time of printing. We will inform you of any changes or additions in our Residents News newsletter and via our website.

1.How to check if a repair or problem is my responsibility

2.Reporting a repair or problem

3.Condensation problems and mould grow th

We will carry out many of the repairs your home needs, but some repairs will be down to you. You will be responsible for any repairs needed if you (or anyone living with or just visiting) damage the property, or if the damage has been caused by neglect. You will be charged if we are called to attend a repair that is your responsibility The table below gives more detail.*

Internal repairs and maintenance

AREA REPAIR US YOU

Decorations Internal decoration. You are responsible for any (internal) plaster damage caused by re-decorating

Doors Internal doors and ironmongery, handles, hinges, bathroom/WC locks only, door replacments, fair wear and tear only

Threshold strips, door adjustment for residents’ own floor coverings and door stops

Replacement of damaged internal doors

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AREA REPAIR US Electrics

Wiring, sockets, switches, light fittings, fuse boxes, immersion heaters, extractor fans and Fairhive-owned shower units

Plugs for electrical appliances, battery smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, electrical supply to property (utility service), connection and disconnection of cookers, telephone points, TV sockets and aerials

Light bulbs, lamps, spotlights, flourescent tubes, starters and fuses

Storage heaters and electric towel rails (Fairhive-owned only)

Security lights (where owned by Fairhive only)

Security light bulbs

Fire surround, hearth, chimney sweeping, electric Fires and fire (we will maintain until it is beyond repair, after fireplaces which we will remove without replacement)

Electric fire bulbs

Floors Concrete, floorboards and joists, vinyl floor coverings to bathrooms and kitchens only (except for tenant damage)

Floor covering to all other rooms

YOU

How to check if a repair or problem is my responsibility continued

AREA REPAIR US

Gas Gas pipework, radiators, valves, timers, clocks and thermostats, boilers

Gas supply to property, please consult your Utility Company

Programming of timer

Cupboards, drawers, work surfaces (where Kitchen replacements required will be replaced with nearest match or with complementary colour)

Fairhive-fitted

Plumbing Water service pipes, overflows, water tanks, taps, sinks, wash basins, baths, toilets, bath panels, shower trays, shower doors (where fitted by the Trust), sealant to baths, basins, sinks and showers

Toilet seats, shower hoses and heads, shower curtains and poles, plugs and chains

Blockages: sinks, wash basins, showers, toilets, baths, dishwasher and washing machine waste and kitchen gullies

Staircase and Staircase, banister and handrails

hallway

Hat and coat rails

Windows Timber, upvc window boards, curtain battens, handles, hinges

Curtains and curtain rails, blinds and poles etc

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Internal repairs and maintenance

AREA REPAIR US YOU

Sheds and outbuildings outbuildings

Brick outbuildings and sheds

Gain access (lost keys or locked out), unless due to faulty lock. Please note that the Trust will not supply replacement padlocks

Sheds: timber and metal (non permanent structures), all fixtures and fittings including locks/ padlocks

Gardens and boundaries

Garden walls

Trust owned fencing (to Trust specification)

Trust owned gates (side, front and rear) with standard fixtures

Padlocks and security fittings

Path and steps (if means of access to and from the property)

Paths, steps, patios (which are NOT a means of access to and from the property). However in some circumstances the Trust may make safe.

Trust owned driveways and hardstandings

Tenant owned driveways and hardstandings

All ongoing garden maintenance including shrubs, hedges, trees, climbing plants, and clearing moss and weeds from access paths and hardstandings.

Washing lines and rotary driers

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AREA REPAIR US

Vermin/ All pests, fleas, moles, flies, ants, wasps, slugs, pests squirrels, birds etc. For further information contact your local Council’s Environmental Health Department.

Doors Doors, frames, thresholds, sills, faulty locks, ironmongery, security chains and door entry systems

Gain access (lost keys or locked in/out), unless due to faulty lock

Door bells (unless electrically hard wired)

Drains and Soil and vent pipes, inspection chambers and broken pipes gullies

Blocked drains, gullies, toilets, sinks, baths, showers, basins, washing machine and dishwasher waste

Roofs Chimney pots, stacks, chimney cleaning, structure and covering, gutters, rainwater pipes, fascias and soffits

Windows Frames, window sills, ironmongery, vents and failed double glazing panes

Broken glazing (Crime Reference Number)

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Communal areas

AREA REPAIR US YOU

Communal Repairs to communal areas such as stairs, flooring, areas aerials, and walls and ceilings

Drying areas, rotary driers, washing line posts, fencing, drying area floor surfaces

Communal entrances

Walls and ceilings

AREA REPAIR US

Canopies Rendering, foundations, porch canopies over doors or windows, and airbricks

Ceilings Major plaster repair, renewing plasterboard, plaster skim, artex

Minor plaster repair, cracks and small holes, all covings (as part of your decoration regime)

Walls Major plastering repairs, skirting boards, plaster vents, wall tiles and grouting (where replacements required will be replaced with nearest match)

Minor plaster repairs, cracks and small holes, all covings (as part of your decoration regime)

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2 Reporting a repair or problem

To ensure your home is maintained to a high standard, when you report a repair we will:

✔ offer an appointment for all internal repairs. In an emergency, the repair will be completed as soon as possible but you will need to be at home during this repair;

✔ leave a card if you are not at home when we call, advising you how to contact us to rebook your appointment. Failure to keep appointments may lead to a ‘missed appointment’ charge;

✔ send an appropriately qualified tradesperson, with identification, at the arranged time. The tradesperson will do the repair and leave your property as they found it. If specialised materials are required for your repair, these may, with your permission, be left at your property for safekeeping;

✔ arrange another appointment with you if we are unable to complete all of the work required during our first visit. If this happens, the tradesperson will explain why;

✔ offer to confirm and send a reminder of your appointment time via a text message, email or telephone call;

✔ attend to identified health and safety risks as a matter of urgency;

✔ attend to reported emergencies within 24 hours; and

✔ attend to Out of Hours emergencies as a matter of urgency.

What we expect from you

We ask that you:

✔ report any necessary repairs to us promptly;

✔ keep your home clean and in good decorative order;

✔ carry out repairs that are your responsibility (see pages 3-7);

✔ provide access to Trust staff when necessary; and

✔ take out contents insurance to cover loss of your personal possessions.

Reporting a repair or problem continued

Repairs or problems you report to us will fall into three categories –emergency/essential repair/appointment.

An emergency repair is a fault which threatens danger or risk to the health of the occupants, or which could cause serious damage to the property.

If your repair or problem is an emergency we will attend within 24 hours from when you report it.

If we identify that your emergency repair cannot wait, we will prioritise your repair to attend even sooner. If this is the case we will let you know.

Appointment repairs are less urgent problems that can wait and we will book an appointment with you to carry out the required work or essential repairs.

Emergency - essential or routine

The following list includes some typical repairs or problems, and whether they are emergency or appointment repairs.

Each case will vary, but it gives you an idea of how quickly we will be with you to complete the fix.

1. Plumbing and heating

1.1 No drinking water

Before contacting us, please check with your water utility company to check that it isn’t a problem that they are already dealing with. If it isn’t – we will attend as an emergency repair.

1.2 No hot water

If your only source of hot water stops working, this is an emergency repair.

If you have an alternative source (for example, if your boiler breaks, but you have an immersion heater), this would be an appointment repair.

1.3

No

heating

No heating between 1 October and 31 March is an emergency repair.

Outside of these dates (over the summer), this is classed as an appointment repair – unless there is a child under the age of five, an elderly resident or a registered disabled person at the property, in which case we would treat it as an emergency repair.

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1.4 Leaks

Where a leak is minor and can be contained, we will make an appointment with you to repair it.

If the leak is causing damage, especially if it penetrates electrical fittings, we will attend as an emergency repair. Until we arrive, you should turn off your water supply at your stopcock or gate valve.

1.5 Blocked drains

If no water from any part of the property will disperse, we will attend as an emergency repair.

1.6 Blocked toilet

If the only toilet in your property blocks, and you have tried to unblock it, we will attend as an emergency.

If you have another toilet, we will attend as an appointment repair.

Please note: if the toilet is blocked due to anything other than defective pipework – for example by nappies or wipesthis is a chargeable repair.

1.7 Roof leaks and/or other roofing damage

Emergency repairs to roof leaks or damage are only made when the damage to the roof is likely to worsen, or when it is hazardous (for example roof tiles might fall onto a public highway). Emergency repairs will make the roof safe and repaired fully at a later date.

1.8 Downpipes and gutters

If damage to downpipes and gutters is causing water to enter the property and causing major damage, or the damaged part is dangerous and cannot be made safe by you, we will attend as an emergency.

Otherwise, downpipes and gutters fixes are considered appointment repairs.

Blockages due to lack of tenant maintenance including clearing moss and leaves, will be the tenant’s responsibility.

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2. Gas and electricity supply

If you smell gas, please telephone National Gas Emergency immediately on 0800 111 999, who will send an engineer to visit your home, and isolate the meter to make safe where necessary.

2.1 Gas escape

If this results in a lack of heating or hot water, it will be treated as an emergency or appointment according to points 1.2 and 1.3.

2.2 Electricity

If there is no power to your property, you should: check your consumer unit for tripped switches check your appliances to find out if a faulty appliance is the source of the loss check with your energy supplier before contacting us.

We will attend to this as an emergency when there is a loss of power to sockets throughout your home. Power loss to lighting will only be attended when there is a hazard to health.

2.3 Unsafe power, light socket or electrical fitting

This is an emergency repair.

2.4 Total loss of communal lighting to a block

This is an emergency repair.

3. Unsafe or hazardous conditions

3.1 Flood

You should notify us as soon as possible if there is a flood affecting your property.

3.2 Fire

You should notify us as soon as possible if there is a fire at your property, after contacting the Fire Service on 999.

3.3 Dangerous structure

We will attend and make safe walls, fences and chimneys that are in a dangerous condition as an emergency.

3.4 Missing brickwork, concrete or rendering

If this is dangerous and likely to cause injury or damage to property, we will attend as an emergency.

Reporting a repair or problem continued

3.5

If this is dangerous and likely to cause injury or damage to property, we will attend as an emergency.

If a door is damaged and will not close, and;

If a ground floor window is jammed open.

4.3 Locked in or out

3.6

We will attend as an emergency to repair, temporarily cover or protect damaged, loose or missing covers if it is dangerous to those within the boundary of your property.

4. Security

4.1 Defective entrance door or door lock

Where the security of your home is at risk, we will attend as an emergency.

Assistance may be offered – but these works will be chargeable. We will not normally attend lockouts if this is due to losing a key or locking it inside the property. You should usually contact a local locksmith.

5. Recharging

4.2

Where the security of your home is at risk, we will attend as an emergency to make safe and secure.

Examples of an emergency include:

If we attend a repair appointment and discover that this is your responsibility in line with the terms of your tenancy agreement, we may charge a call out fee. You will then be required to complete the repair yourself. If you have failed to complete a repair that is your responsibility and there is potential for this to cause damage to your property or a neighbouring property, we will complete the repair and charge you for this. Any charges will be added to your rent account for you to make payment.

Falling gutters, slates or tiles

Defective or damaged manhole covers, missing grates or inspection chamber covers

Broken windows and entrance doors to the property

Condensation problems and mould growth

Condensation is a natural occurrence. It appears when water vapour in the air meets a cold surface and ‘condenses’ – becomes liquid – and forms water droplets on the surface. This is what causes the mirror to mist when you have a shower.

What causes condensation?

• Build-up of moisture

• Cold surfaces and unequal room temperatures

• Lack of adequate ventilation

Why is it a problem?

Condensation is a problem because, when left, it can provide the right condition for mould to grow. It can also affect plaster and cause woodwork to rot, causing unnecessary damage to your home or possessions.

If you have mould forming within your property, it is likely that you have a condensation problem.

Signs of a condensation problem

• Mould or mildew occurring in winter rather than summer

• Black mould in the corners of rooms, behind furniture and in cupboards

• Moisture on walls, ceilings and cold surfaces, such as cold water pipes

• Moisture on the inside of windows

• Only outside walls affected, rather than walls between rooms

• Clothes in cupboards and drawers have a musty smell or mildew on them

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How to stop condensation problems

Making a few simple changes to the way we maintain our homes - or do household activities like cooking and laundry - can stop condensation becoming a problem. Think reduce, increase and control to prevent condensation becoming a problem in your home.

Reduce Moisture

When cooking, cover pans with lids, and keep the kitchen door closed

Dry laundry outside whenever possible

If you have to dry clothes indoors - put them in one room, close the door and leave the window open for ventilation

Make sure tumble dryers are vented so that moist air goes outside

Keep bathroom doors closed during use. Run cold water into the bath first and then add hot water. This can reduce steam by up to 90%

X Do not put washing on radiators or in front of radiant heaters.

Increase Ventilation

Always keep a small window or an air vent open when you are at home to reduce condensation build up. If you have trickle air vents, keep them open all the time.

If installed, use an extractor fan when cooking or bathing. Run the fan for 20 minutes after use so that moisture is cleared and keep the windows in the room closed. If a window is open the fan will draw air in from outside, rather than drawing the damp air out. Ensure your curtains or blinds do not obstruct the fan.

X Don’t over-ventilate your home in cold weather. This will reduce the temperature inside making condensation more likely as well as increasing heating costs. For security, make sure you close windows before you go out.

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Control Room Temperature

If you have central heating, use the thermostat to set the temperature to between 18°c and 21°c.

Include any rooms that are not being used – radiators with thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) will give you greater control over the heat from each individual radiator.

X Do not use the heating on a high setting for short periods of time. Heating your home for a longer time at a lower temperature will keep it warmer and cost you less.

X Bottled gas heaters produce high levels of moisture, so should not be used.

X Do not place furniture against radiators as this prevents efficient circulation of warm air.

Additional tips

DO report any problems with extractor fans and heating systems

DO wipe down the inside of windows if they become wet with condensation

DO remove any mould growth with an appropriate mould and mildew cleaning product. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions

DO store clothes and arrange furniture to allow air flow around them

DO avoid placing beds and wardrobes against external walls - mould is more likely to grow behind furniture

X DO NOT use bleach and water to treat mould - this is not as effective as a mould and mildew cleaning product

X DO NOT over fill wardrobes and cupboards

X DO NOT cover any vents

X DO NOT disturb loft insulation –it causes ‘cold spots’ which lead to condensation.

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Next steps

If you follow the advice in this leaflet you should be able to keep condensation and mould growth under control. If mould growth persists - even after you have tried all advice given in this leaflet – then contact us.

Mould growth does not necessarily mean a property has a damp problem – it could be as simple as aging insulation, lack of insulation or a broken extractor fan.

We will carry out an inspection and work to correct the problem.

Further advice

If you have concerns about heating your home please contact our welfare team on welfare@fairhive.co.uk.

If you are still worried about your condensation or mould, please contact the Repairs team on 01296 732600 or email: contact@fairhive.co.uk

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Online

For permissions to make alterations and improvements to your home, please report on My HomeHub or write to us at the postal address above, marking your letter for the attention of the Neighbourhood Manager.