This page provides general information regarding maintenance. It provides details of landlords responsibilities and the responsibilities of the tenant. 

 

Landlord's Responsibility

We are responsible for the carrying out of repairs to the structure and exterior of the building including:

1.	Drains, gutters and external pipes.
2.	Roof, foundations, walls, doors, windows excluding glazing.
3.	Chimney and chimney stack (but not sweeping the chimney).
4.	Paths, steps, entrances to the property and fences. Put in by us.
5.	Major plaster works.
6.	Painting (exterior only).
7.	Installation for heating, hot water, sanitation, the supply of gas and electricity (from the meters).
8.	Basins, sinks, baths, toilets and cisterns.
9.	Waste pipes, overflows and other plumbing.
10.	Electrical fittings and wiring.
11.	Plumbing (excluding tenants own appliances).
12.	Individual heaters, heating systems and hot water appliances (installed by the us).
13.	Communal areas to blocks of flats such as corridors, stairways and entrances.
14.	Communal facilities like television aerials, door entry systems, rubbish chutes, lifts and stairway lighting.

 

Pre-inspections

It may be necessary for a maintenance officer to call to your property to inspect the repair before an order is raised to an external contractor. This may be because of the specialised nature of the repair or to establish if something needs replacing rather than repairing.

 

The maintenance staff aim to pre-inspect these repairs within 5 days of them being reported.

 

You will be told at the time you report the repair if it is to be referred to the maintenance officers.

 

You can also request a maintenance officer to call if you have a concern about a maintenance issue.

 

Access to your Home

Both authorised contractors and maintenance staff will require access to your home to inspect or carry out repair works to your home or an adjoining property. Please see your tenancy agreement for further details on allowing access.

 

Moving Furniture and Carpets

Access also includes moving furniture and lifting carpets yourself to allow repairs to be done. Carpets are supplied and fitted by tenants and are your responsibility. If they have to be lifted to carry out a repair we cannot be held responsible. You are responsible for making sure furniture and carpets are moved out of the way, ready for the work to be done.

 

Security

All of our employees carry official identity cards that include their photographs.

You are strongly advised to ask to see such a card before allowing anyone claiming to be from the Oadby and Wigston Borough Council into you home.

 

Contractors employed by us may not have identity cards but should be able to produce works orders or other documents to show that they are working on our behalf. (Do not accept photocopies).

 

They should also be able to give you the name and telephone number of a an officer you can contact to check they are genuine.

 

If in doubt - shut them out

If you are in any doubt about the identity of a caller do not let them in. Ask them to call again later, so you have time to check them out and then shut the door on them.

Contact the maintenance office to check whether they are from us or not.

 

Cowboy Builders

Do not ask any builders who call at your door looking for work to do repairs for you. They may not be trustworthy. Its far better to contact two or three reputable firms and ask them to quote for the work. Before doing any work to your home you must get permission from our maintenance section.

 

Customer Care

Our aim is to provide a quality repair service to our customers. To help us monitor how well we are doing and to check the standard of contractors work our maintenance officers may conduct a post inspection.

You will be asked some questions about the contractor and their work. You will also be asked if you can identify any improvements in the way repairs are dealt with to help us improve the service.

Complaints

If you are not happy with the service you received you can contact the Senior Maintenance Officer by telephone, letter or email. For the details please use this link contact details|.

 

Repair Delays

We undertake to carry out repairs within the stated priority times unless:-

1.	The repair is to be done on a programmed basis for example repairs prior to a painting programme.
2.	Maintenance staff have not been able to get access to your home to carry out the work.
3.	The contractor has had difficulty obtaining any necessary spare parts.
4.	The weather has been too bad to do the repair.

 

If you experience any problem in getting your repair completed, please contact us. Contact details|.

 

Tenant's Responsibility

• Internal decoration.

 

Any fittings that belong to you or have been installed by you, for example,

 

• Cooker, curtain rails, extra kitchen fittings, shower, etcetera

 

You will have to carry out at your own expense minor internal repairs to your home.  These small repairs are as follows:

1.	Letter boxes, flaps, door knockers and door bells, door locks, latches and bolts.
2.	Kitchen cupboard door handles, catches and hinges.
3.	Kitchen drawer handles.
4.	Plugs and chains to sinks, wash-hand basins and baths.
5.	Hat and coat rails and hooks.
6.	Pull chain or cord to high level toilet flushing cistern.
7.	Fire grates and bars.
8.	Electric plugs (not sockets).
9.	Replacement of cracked or broken glass.
10.	Draught-proofing of doors and windows.
11.	Minor plaster cracks caused by shrinkage and not structural movement.
12.	Unblocking of external gulley grate tops.

 

The following people will not be expected to carry out these repairs:

 

• Elderly people (OAP's)
• Disabled persons.

 

We do not want the above responsibilities to be a constant source of worry to people who cannot do them. If you feel you are one of these people, please discuss the problem with a member of the Housing Section staff. We may be able to arrange for the work which is the tenant's responsibility to be carried out by voluntary organisations who can help with repair items.

 

If you are not one of the people listed above, but would prefer us to carry out the small repair for you, tell our staff.  You will, however, have to pay for the work in advance if it is agreed that the work will be done for you.

 

As tenants, you are also responsible for a number of repair items. You must take reasonable care of the property and must report any repairs us.

 

You are responsible to us for:-

 

Damage to your home caused by the wilful or negligent or careless action of yourself, a member of your household, visitor, friend or unknown person.

 

Certain repairs marked with * on this page are called qualifying repairs and fall within the Government Citizens Charter Scheme in the Right to Repair.

 

If you report a qualifying repair (up to the value of £250), we must carry it out within the terms of the scheme.  If we do not complete the repair as required by law, you are entitled to compensation.

 

If you want more information about the Right to Repair Scheme, please enquire. Contact us|.

 

Go to Reporting Repairs page

Go to Repair Categories page|

 

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