Repairs standards

Your questions answered

Do you check the standard of work?

We will inspect a sample of all the repairs that are completed. This means we can keep an eye on the general level of work. (We also send out satisfaction questionnaires and do phone surveys when specialist work has been carried out.

Can I comment on the standard of service?

Yes. We welcome all comments, suggestions, compliments and complaints about our service. We will send you a feedback card with the repair acknowledgement every time we arrange for a repair to be done to your home. Please fill in and return this card with whatever you would like to say about the service you received. We take your comments seriously and, when appropriate, we will pass your comments to the repair workers involved.

Are there regular safety inspections for gas and electrical appliances?

By law, we must carry out a safety check once a year on all gas appliances. We carry out these checks to protect your health and safety. They will be done by qualified members of our own workforce or special gas contractors.

We also carry out safety checks on all electrical fittings and wiring in your home at least once every 10 years. We will write to tell you which day we will be coming to carry out inspections. Please contact us immediately if the date we give is not convenient. If you do not allow our contractors into your house to do these inspections, you will be breaking the conditions of your tenancy agreement. If necessary, we will take legal action to allow us to enter your house.

What we expect of our repair workers

Anyone working on our behalf in your home must:

carry an identity card, show it to you and ask your permission to enter your home;
take reasonable care to protect your belongings from damage, dust and paint;
be polite and treat you and your home with respect;
make sure materials and tools do not cause danger and are removed from your home when they are not being used;
tidy up inside your home at the end of each working day and arrange for rubbish to be taken away;
repair any damage caused by their work in your home;
make sure gas, water and electricity are connected at the end of each day and when the repair is completed;
warn you about any likely noise or disturbance they will make, and keep it as low as possible; and
keep you informed about how they are getting on with the repair.

Repair workers are not allowed to:

smoke, play radios or personal stereos in or around your home;
be in your home with children under 16 without an adult member of the family or adult friend present;
keep keys to your home; or
use mobile phones during their work, unless it is in connection with their work.

Repair workers must ask your permission to:

use your phone;
use or move anything that belongs to you;
use your toilet or washing facilities;
open windows or doors, or go into other rooms in your home; and
take their lunch break in your home.

Tenants' Right to Repair

Under the Right-to-Repair scheme, we must complete certain repairs within set time limits. These are repairs which, if not carried out on time, could affect your health or safety. They are called qualifying repairs.

If we do not complete a qualifying repair within the correct time, you have the right to have us get another contractor to do the work. If the second contractor also fails to carry out the repair, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the repairs hotline if you would like a list of qualifying repairs.

Joint responsibility for gas safety

We are responsible for carrying out a yearly gas safety check in every property with a gas supply. You should let us know if, for any reason, you have not had a safety check in the last 12 months.
You must allow us into your home to carry out safety checks every year. If you do not allow us in, you are breaking the conditions of your tenancy agreement. If necessary, we will take legal action to allow us to enter your home.
You must make sure that air vents do not get blocked. If you are not sure where your air vents are, please ask us.