repairs
all you need to know
about repairs and how to
get them sorted
repairs
what is this leaflet about?
This leaflet explains what you should do before you report a
repair, how to report a repair and how we then deal with the
calls. It also explains which repairs are your responsibility
and which ones are Regenda’s responsibility; including when
recharges could be imposed due to damage or negligence.
introduction
Regenda aims to offer the very best repairs service to our
residents. We aim to provide a high quality, efficient and
comprehensive repairs service.
The majority of repairs on your property will be the responsibility
of Regenda, however as a resident, certain repairs will be your
responsibility. If we carry out repairs that are your responsibility
we may have to charge you for them.
This leaflet sets out your responsibilities and what type of
repairs you may be charged for. It also provides details on your
right to repair, and compensation if we do not complete a repair
that is our responsibility.
who do I contact?
You can report a repair to us in a number of ways:
• By telephone: 0344 736 0066 (local call rate)
• Fax: 0344 736 0068 (local call rate)
2
• Email: [email protected]
• Text message from a mobile phone:
07970 865 865
• Minicom: 0344 736 0067
• Online: www.regenda.org.uk
• Call into your local office, or
• Write to us at: Regenda House, Enterprise Business Park,
Northgate Close, Horwich, Bolton BL6 6PQ
If you live in sheltered housing inform your Scheme Manager or
use the above contacts.
Please let us know:
• your name and address
• your telephone number and access details
• details of the repair – what and where it is
• when we can call to carry out your repair
• any special requirements – disabilities etc.
The more information we have, the quicker we can carry out the work.
Dealing with high priority repairs:
Call our shared service centre on 0344 736 0066 between 08.00
– 19.00. Outside of these hours, please contact our emergency
gas maintenance and servicing for your area:
3
Merseyside and Cheshire
M&Y
01204 814698
GreaterManchester:
Hadfield and Britain
0845 602 3621
Lancashire: M&Y
01204 814638
your responsibilities
We want to ensure your repair is dealt with by the right person
and that you don’t make your problem worse by mistake. Here’s
some helpful advice to follow before you report a repair.
Gas problems:
If you can smell gas or think you have a gas leak call National
Grid on 0800 111 999 (24 hours a day)
• do not smoke or use a naked flame
• do not turn electric switches on or off
• turn off the gas supply at the meter
• open doors and windows to get rid of the gas
• when the engineer calls, do not use your intercom system
Water problems:
Water leaks?
• turn off the water supply at the stop cock. This is usually
located under the kitchen sink or at the isolation valve
• try to prevent the leak from causing more damage by using
towels and buckets. If the leak is near electrical equipment,
do not touch – turn off the electricity supply at the mains
Blockages?
• try clearing it yourself using a plunger or a cleaning agent
before reporting the fault
No water at all?
• check with your neighbours to see if they have the same
problem, if they have, contact your water supplier
No hot water?
• if there is cold water coming out of the hot tap, this could be
4
a fault on the heating system
• if there is no water from the hot taps this may be a plumbing
fault
Electrical problems:
No electricity?
• has your meter run out of credit?
• check to see if neighbours have the same problem, if they
have, contact your supplier
• reset the trip switch located on the consumer unit (usually
near the meter)
Electrical faults
• do not touch the fitting. Check the fuse
• replace bulbs/fluorescent tubes/starters
Central heating problems:
Central heating not working
• has the power been switched off accidentally?
• has your meter run out of credit?
• has the pilot light gone out?
• is the timer set correctly?
Radiators not heating up
• check thermostats
Locks and keys:
• if you lock yourself out of the property, you will be charged
for the replacement of locks or keys, therefore why not leave
a spare key with a relative or friend
• if you have fitted the lock yourself it is your responsibility. If
your property is insecure, it will be treated as an emergency
5
and it will be chargable.
Helping us to help you
The repairs service will be more efficient if you:
• always keep appointments
• provide feedback on the service you receive
Rechargeable repairs
You are responsible for repairing any damage caused to your
home, or to common parts of the building, by yourself, members
of your family or visitors.
If Regenda has to repair any such damage or complete works that
are your responsibility, a charge will be made against you for the
cost of completing such works.
These charges differ depending on the type of work completed,.
However each individual job will be calculated against the
National Housing Federation’s schedule of work plus any
agreed uplift. The charge will be made regardless of whether
the damage is accidental or deliberate.
Rechargable repairs include:
• changes to locks and replacement keys
• boarding up and reglazing broken windows
• damage to kitchen units or worktops which is not fair wear
and tear
• holes in internal or external doors
• blockages to waste pipes, drains and toilets caused by items
such as nappies, solidified fat and food, toilet fresheners or
children’s toys
• cracks and burns in plastic sanitary fittings, baths and UPVC
windows
6
• clearing out and cleaning of properties, garden sheds and
yards on termination of tenancies
• removal of rubbish including any electrical items
• making good alterations completed by a resident without
written approval
• making good after removal of any items fitted by a resident
without written approval
• resetting and relighting of boilers where residents have
interfered with the boiler.
• electrical call outs due to tenants own appliance faults
causing the electrics to constantly switch off.
Regenda will only repair criminal damage if you can provide
evidence that the crime has been reported to the police (crime/
log number).
Your repair responsibilities include:
• keeping your home decorated internally and making sure
your gardens, yards and paths are clean and tidy
• ensure your home is secure by using all door and window
locks provided
• you will need to regularly test any smoke alarms and inform
us of any faulty alarms
• renewing light bulbs/fluorescent tubes
• connection of cookers/fridges/washing machines
• TV aerials unless they are part of a service charge
• replacement toilet seats
• replacement of carpets
• shaving down of doors following refitting of carpets/floor
covering
• any fixtures you have provided
7
What happens if I am recharged for a repair?
When you contact the Shared Service Centre a rechargeable
repair will be identified to you. A Confirmation Order will be sent,
to confirm the works and that the work is Tenant Recoverable.
Once the repair is complete the Recharge Officer will contact
you to advise of the cost. The outstanding balance will be
requested in full. If this is not possible a payment plan may be
negotiated.
How do I pay for the work to be done?
• post: you can send a cheque made payable to The Regenda
Group to the address at the beginning of this leaflet.
• phone: we accept most major debit and credit cards as
payment
• on the internet: find out how to pay the amount due
online in our money matters section on our website
www.regenda.org.uk
• Direct Debit: this can be set up over the phone
• standing order: please contact us for a standing order form
What happens if I don’t pay my bill?
We have a dedicated recharge officer who will contact you to
make a payment to clear the outstanding balance. If you do
not make payments as agreed with the recharge officer, the
Regenda Group will commence County Court Proceedings.
This means that you will have a County Court Judgment (CCJ)
registered against you. We can confirm that this will be noted
on your credit file and held with Credit Reference Agencies such
as Experian. This may affect any future applications you may
make for credit as lenders usually check with Credit Reference
Agencies for this type of information before granting credit,
8
such as hire purchase, credit cards, bank accounts, mortgages
and loans.
Moving house
When you tell us that you are leaving your home, a
neighbourhood officer will visit you to inspect the property.
They will give you advice on any repairs to be completed prior
to the termination of your tenancy.
If any damage has been identified or if you have made
alterations without our permission, undertaken work which is
not of a satisfactory standard or has made the property unsafe,
we will then give you the opportunity to put matters right before
you leave.
A further inspection will be made once the property becomes
void. If the repairs or reinstatements have not been done or the
work has been carried out in an unsatisfactory way, you will be
recharged for the work.
our responsibilities
We will:
• record details of your repair
• pass most repairs and all emergency work directly to the
contractor
• make an appointment for a technical officer to call if the
work is to be inspected
• provide you with an order number for your repair should you
need to contact us again
Carrying out the work
Our contractors carry out most repairs. They are required to
9
carry identification and to follow a strict code of conduct whilst
they work in your home. Always check their identification and
contact us if in doubt.
What if I am not in when the contractor calls?
Where possible we will arrange for the contractor to call at a
time convenient to you. If you find you are unable to be in when
the contractor is due to call, please let us know so that a more
suitable appointment can be made. If an appointment has
been made and you are not in, the job will be cancelled and
you may be charged for the attendance of the operative.
We inspect at least 3% of all completed repairs. We also send
satisfaction questionnaires to all households who have had
repairs carried out. We want to hear your views about the
quality of the service you get, so please take the time to answer
the questions and return the completed questionnaires so we
can be sure that we are maintaining a high standard.
We may also text you to see how satisfied you were with the
repair.
We work hard to get things right, but if you think we have been slow
to do a repair or the job was badly done, please let us know. If you
are still not happy then please refer to our complaints procedure.
Regenda are responsible for those items which were already in
your home or installed by us during your tenancy. This will cover
most repairs to the structure and outside of your home and
items such as baths, sinks and plumbing.
Our repair responsibilitites:
• roofs, walls and chimneys
• gutters, pipes and drains
• doors, window frames and plaster work
• boundary fences and walls, paths, yards and outbuildings
10
• installations for space and water heating, sanitation, water,
gas and electricity
• communal entrances, stairs and passageways
• external decoration
• insurance of the structure of the building . This does not
include any residents belongings, including flooring
• items covered by an existing service charge
our policies and standards
We will:
• explain which repairs are our responsibility and which are
yours
• only recharge works against the actual cost of the work
to be completed as per the National Housing Federation’s
schedule of works cost
• tell you when your repair will be completed by putting it
into one of the following groups:
emergency within 4 hours - you must remain in the
property during this time. Examples include: burst pipes, no
lighting, only toilet not usable
urgent within 5 days - Examples include: re-fixing slates,
minor electrical faults, and minor structural repairs
routine within 20 days - Examples include: blocked
gutters, repairs to joinery, plastering
There may be occasions when we have to order a specialist part
from a manufacturer to fix a fault. At these times there will be a
slight delay but we will keep you informed.
• agree with you a convenient appointment slot when we
11
need access to your home from the following:
Monday to Friday AM 8.30am-1.00pm
Monday to Friday PM 12.30pm-5.00pm
Monday to Friday school time slot 9.30am-2.30pm
Thursday PM up to 8.00pm
Saturday up to 1.00pm
• aim to complete repairs at our first visit
• only use approved contractors who work to our contractor
charter
• check what you think of the repairs service by carrying out
a satisfaction survey following the completion of the repair
• offer a minor adaptations service and will work in
partnership with local authority partners to enable you to
access major adaptations
Planned Repairs:
We will:
• work with you to plan our maintenance, improvement and
modernisation programmes
• publish our annual programme in our resident newsletter
and make it available on our website
• offer as much choice as possible when items such as kitchens
and bathrooms are being replaced
• give you a minimum of 3 months notice before we start any
major work in your home
• check how satisfied you are with the work when it is complete
by carrying out a satisfaction survey
• inspect and test every gas installation in your home every
12
12 months
• make sure every property with a gas installation has a valid
gas safety certificate
• take legal action to get into properties when necessary to
carry out gas safety checks
other helpful information
Right to repair compensation
Under the terms of your tenancy agreement you may be able to
claim compensation if we fail to carry out certain repairs. This
section explains when this applies and how you can complain if
you have the right.
The repair must be likely to jeopardise your health, safety or
security. The cost of carrying out the repair must be less than
£100.
What is the procedure?
When you report a repair, a repair order will be issued. This will:
• describe the repair
• give the name of the contractor who will be doing the work
• give the date by which the repair should be finished
We will send you a copy of this order. If we fail to carry out the
repair by the date given, you should inform us that the work has
not been done.
We will then issue a new order and a new date by which the
work should be finished.
If the repair is again not carried out by the second date, you will
be entitled to claim compensation.
13
The compensation amount will be £10, plus £2.00 for each day
the repair remains outstanding, up to a maximum of £50.00.
Any rent arrears will be deducted from the compensation
payment.
Compensation will not be payable if:
• you fail to provide prompt access to inspect the repair or to
carry out the work
• the repair was caused by your negligence
• the repair is not our responsibility
Examples of repairs which may qualify for compensation if not
completed in time and if the cost of the repair is less than £100:
• loss of electrical power
• unsafe electrical fitting
• loss of water supply
• loss of gas supply
• loss of space or water heating
• blocked flue to boiler
• blocked drain
• only toilet not working
• blocked sink, bath or basin
• water leak
• roof leak
• property insecure
• loose banister or handrail
• rotten flooring or stair tread
14
• door entry phone not working
• extractor fan not working
Insurance
Regenda insures our buildings but not your contents. We
recommend you purchase your own contents insurance
as we will not pay to replace any personal belongings. For
further information on contents insurance please contact a
neighbourhood officer.
Right to Buy / Right to Acquire
• if you are purchasing your home under one of these schemes,
we will only be responsible for security and ensuring that
your home is wind and water tight
• we will also make safe any gas and electrical appliances and
carry out servicing of gas appliances according to regulation
any questions?
We hope this leaflet answers your questions about repairs
If you are not sure about anything or have some further
questions to ask then please talk to our staff on:
0344 736 0066
15
access for all
We make every effort to ensure the text in this document is between
10-12pt for legibility and clarity. This is not always possible due to
content. However if you would like this document in large print, in your
language or in audio format, please phone us on 0344 736 0066 or
ask at one of our local offices.
Registered Office:
Regenda Limited, Regenda House,
Enterprise Business Park, Northgate Close,
Horwich, Bolton, BL6 6PQ
Tel: 0344 736 0066
Fax: 0344 736 0068
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.regenda.org.uk