Responsibilities
Your questions answered
Which repairs will you do under the conditions of the tenancy agreement?
We are responsible for the outside of your property, the main structure, and any fixtures or fittings that we have provided inside your home. See Our responsibilities below.
We will decorate the outside of all our properties, and any shared areas inside our properties, as part of a planned programme. Before this work starts, we will carry out any related repairs. See Our service.
What repairs am I responsible for?
You are responsible for taking care of the inside of your property, keeping it decorated inside, and repairing any damage caused by you, members of your household or any visitors. You are also responsible for certain minor repairs. See Your responsibilities below and the Handy hints pages.
Which repairs do I have to pay for?
You will have to pay for any repairs that you are responsible for but cannot do yourself. See Your responsibilities below.
If you have difficulties arranging one of these repairs, you can ask for our maintenance staff to do this work but you will have to pay for it beforehand.
What about damage, vandalism or break-ins?
If a repair is needed because of damage caused by you or someone in your home, we can carry out the work for you but will charge you for the work unless it is the result of a break-in or vandalism. See Charging for damage below. We will tell you how much we will charge before we carry out the work. You may decide to get someone else to do it.
Can I claim for damage to my property?
If the damage is caused by our negligence you may be able to claim for the cost. Write to us giving full details.
You should take out home contents insurance to cover other damage to decoration inside your home and your personal belongings, carpets, furniture and so on. See Moving in in your tenancy book.
Our responsibilities
We are responsible for repairing and maintaining the structure of the property you live in. This includes all the outside parts and any inside fixtures and fittings that we have provided, but it does not include items that are listed as your responsibility or we noted as your responsibility at the beginning of your tenancy.
We are also responsible for pipes, wiring, fixtures and fittings for heating, drainage, guttering, power and lighting, and smoke detectors. We are also responsible for any shared areas or facilities.
We look after any open area we own around your home but not the private part of your garden. We repair any outhouses we have provided, and the main steps and paths that lead to the front or back doors, or to a clothes drier.
Charging for damage
If you, or anyone in your home, cause damage to your home, we expect you to arrange for it to be repaired immediately. If you do not get it repaired and we have to do it, we will charge you for the full cost of the repair, including administration costs. Unless it is an emergency, you will have to pay us before we will order the work. If damage is caused by a break-in or vandalism, we will carry out work to make your home safe. We will only do further work if you give us a police crime report number (not an incident number given over the phone).
Improvements you have made
You can carry out improvements to your home as long as you get our permission in writing before you start. This includes things such as laminate flooring. You will be responsible for any repairs to the changes you have made. See Improvements in your tenancy book.
Your responsibilities
You have certain general responsibilities. You must:
- tell us quickly when a repair is needed;
- take reasonable action to prevent damage once you have noticed a repair fault; and
- allow repair workers or inspectors into your home.
We expect you to do the following tasks yourself, or arrange and pay to get them done.
- Replace plugs and chains in baths, basins and sinks.
- Replace lost or broken keys, and get into your home if you get locked out.
- Replace domestic electrical fuses, light bulbs and fluorescent tubes and starters.
- Reset trip switches.
- Carry out decorating inside, including repairing minor plaster faults and cracks.
- Take action to prevent water in pipes and tanks from freezing.
- Try to clear blocked sinks, baths, basins and toilets.
- Clear gully traps of leaves and rubbish.
- Replace glass, unless you can prove the damage was outside your control.
- Repair and maintain your own fixtures and appliances, including the pipework to your washing machines, driers and dishwashers.
- Replace clothes posts and rotary driers (except in shared areas).
- Bleed radiators.
- Maintain garden paths (but not paths leading to the front or back doors or clothes driers).
- Get chimneys swept regularly (if used for wood or coal fires).
If you are vulnerable or elderly, and have no able-bodied adult to help you, we may be able to help you with these tasks.
