repairs service

www.neighbourhoodinvestor.com

a guide to your repairs service and advice on repairs in your home

We are committed to providing wellmaintained and affordable homes.

The responsibility of looking after your homeis a joint one. We will repair and maintainthe following:

■ the structure and outside of your homeincluding the roof, drains gutters,chimneys and external pipes;

■ electrical wiring, sockets and light fittings;

■ mains services such as water, gas,electricity and sanitation, includingkitchen and bathroom fixtures such as sinks, showers baths and toilets;

■ inside walls, skirting boards, doors, door frames and floors, ceiling and major replastering work;

■ heating equipment such as fires andradiators and water heating equipmentsuch as boilers and immersion heaters;

■ pathways and steps which are the main means of access to your home;

■ boundary fences, shared areas of flatsand shared TV aerials.

Generally, you are responsible for looking after your home and putting right anydamage that you, a member of your family or a guest in your house has caused whetherit be deliberately or through neglect orcarelessness. If you do not, we will repair the damage and charge you for the work. We call these jobs ‘chargeable repairs’.

Examples of repairs you are responsible for include:

■ wilful or accidental damage;■ decorating the inside of your home;■ keeping yards, paths and gardens clean

and tidy;■ regularly testing smoke detectors and

replacing batteries where necessary;■ reporting repairs in a timely and

appropriate manner to prevent any further damage;

■ keeping door and window keys safe and secure;

■ misuse of facilities such as toiletsblocked by inappropriate items.

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How to report a repair

As soon as you notice your home needs a repair please tell us. You can report a repair in lots of different ways. You can:

■ call our freephone 24 hour repair line 0800 169 2988 (Merseyside) or 0500 026 079 (Cheshire);

■ visit or write into one of our offices;■ email us at

repairs@neighbourhoodinvestor.com;■ order online at

www.neighbourhoodinvestor.com.

Please do not use our online service toreport an emergency repair. If your repair is an emergency, please phone our customercontact centres – 0800 169 2988(Merseyside) or 0500 026 079 (Cheshire).

When reporting a repair we will ask youquestions to find out exactly what the fault is.Please be patient as the more information wehave the quicker we will be able to deal withyour request.

We will need to know:

■ what and where the repair is;■ how serious it is;■ when someone will be at home so we

can make a convenient appointment –please note that there must be an adultover the age of 18 years old at homewhen we call to complete a repair;

■ a contact telephone number;■ any special requests such as a secure

password to identify the caller, or timeallowance for you to reach the door.

Once we have this information we can make an accurate assessment and tell you the priority of the repair.

If we are unable to make an assessment, we will call to visit you to assess the works required.

We offer repair appointments from 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday and on Saturday mornings up until 12 noon. If you have difficulty getting time off work and need an out of hours appointment please let us know.

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Keeping appointments

If we are not able to keep an appointmentwe will contact you to rearrange for anothertime. If we do not contact you, we will give you a £10 gift voucher. If you owe us money we will credit the payment to your account.

To help us minimise the number of missedappointments please be at home at your appointment time. If you are not, your repair may be cancelled.

Chargeable repairs

Chargeable repairs are not only works or improvements that you choose to do but are also works caused through accident,damage or neglect by you, your family or your visitors. In these cases the cost of repairing the damage is charged to the tenant.

Where you wish to carryout improvementworks or repairs which are outside ournormal landlord obligations, we can provideyou a competitive price for the works, givingyou the piece of mind the work will becompleted by our fully trained trades peopleor contractors. Works of this nature arecalled chargeable repairs.

Your right to repair

Under the 'Right to Repair Scheme' you mayapply for compensation for every day smallurgent jobs not completed within target where your health, safety or security might be affected. To qualify for the right to repairscheme, the repairs must cost less than £250.

Under the scheme you will be entitled to £2every extra day that you wait for the repair tobe completed. The maximum compensationyou can receive for any one job is £50.

Examples of where we will not paycompensation under this scheme are:

■ if you did not keep your appointment;■ if you did not allow reasonable access

which meant the job was not carried outwithin the stated timescale;

■ the repair is weather dependent.

Emergency Repairs – response time within 2 hours

Emergency repairs include works required to avoid immediate danger to healthand safety or extensive damage to buildings and property, for example:

■ complete loss of heating and hot water or power;■ major water burst flooding the property;■ major structural defects.

Once the danger has been removed, the repair will usually be carried through oururgent or routine priorities depending on the type of work required.Where your heating has failed and it is during the winter months of October toApril and we are unable to carry out a full repair we will provide temporaryheaters. We will provide heaters all year round to our older and more vulnerablecustomers.

Please do not deliberately report a repair as an emergency in order to have itrepaired more quickly than its priority. You may be charged if you do this.

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How soon will a repair be done?

We aim to carry out repairs by appointment at your convenience and wehave different timescales for different types of repairs. The length of time a repair will take will depend on its urgency and the type of work involved.

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Urgent repairs – response time within 7 calendar days

Examples of what will be considered an urgent repair include:

Heating

■ partial loss of heating where there are no other forms of heating;■ total or partial loss of hot water.

Plumbing■ minor leaks to plumbing installations including

cisterns, cylinders, baths and sinks;■ faulty flushes;■ faulty taps (not washers).

Roof

■ leak to main roof;

■ storm damage.

Electrical■ faulty sockets;■ broken bulb holders;■ external lights not working;■ faulty lights in communal areas.

Joinery■ insecure external doors;■ faulty locks;■ rain water coming through doors & windows;■ window fasteners if a secondary issue;■ dangerous floor boards, decking, ramps, or staircases;■ loose banisters, stair treads, hand rails.

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Routine repairs – response time within 28 calendar days

Repairs will be completed as soon as possible by appointment. You can choosefrom four 2 hour appointment slots – two in the morning and two in the afternoon.

Examples of routine repairs include:

Gas and Electric■ any modifications or replacement parts to gas or electrical installations.

Plumbing■ replacing or re-fixing loose or broken fixtures and fittings, such as re fixing bath

panels;■ replacing broken wall tiles that we have supplied;■ re-fixing WC’s to the floor.

Joinery■ repairs to kitchen units;■ replacing worktops;■ ease and adjust internal doors;■ repairs to window boards, skirting boars and architraves;■ repairs to floor boards.

General■ defective floor tiles that we have supplied;■ external finishes if causing damp for

example rendering or pointing.

Emergency repairs outsideof normal office hoursIf you have an emergency such as a burstpipe, boarding up of doors and windows, no electricity supply or a heating breakdownwith no other form of heat that needsimmediate attention out of office hours,weekends or bank holidays, then pleasetelephone 0800 169 2988 (Merseyside) or 0500 026 079 (Cheshire);

Please do not call the out of hours service if your repair is not an emergency. You could be charged for the time taken to attend your home if the repair is not an emergency situation.

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Planned improvement work

This category covers none routine repairs and large capital investment work. We will publish our programme and let you know in advance of any works starting.

Planned improvement work includes:

■ replacement central heating;■ re-roofing;■ replacement window frames;■ insulation upgrades;■ replacement Kitchens;■ replacement Bathrooms;■ fences when the majority is replaced;■ paving and concreting of non dangerous areas.

You can find out information about programmed works for your home on our website www.neighbourhoodinvestor.com or by calling us.■

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Repairs caused by wilful, accidental damage or neglect

In the case of emergency repairs that arecaused through damage or neglect, due to the limited timescale involved, we willcomplete the repair then charge the cost to you.

If we tell you a repair is your responsibility,you will have the opportunity to put therepair right. When you have done so, you should let us know so that we canarrange to inspect the completed works to check it has been finished to anacceptable standard.

If it does not meet our repairs standard, wewill complete the repair and charge you thecost. In cases of emergency, due to the urgentneed to complete the work, we will completethe repair then charge the cost to you.

Where the damage is a result of vandalismor a violent incident, you must report it to the police and get a crime referencenumber. If you report the repair to us andgive us the crime reference number, we will complete the work and not charge you the cost. If you or a member of yourhousehold is convicted by the police forcausing the damage, you will be liable for the cost of the work.

Telling you about the charge

We will tell you the approximate cost of thework before it is completed. Where it is not possible to tell you the cost, for example inthe case of an emergency, we will let youknow the charge five working days after therepair has been completed.

We will then send you an invoice forpayment which should be settled within 28 days.

Charges for rechargeable repairs are based on current repair costs, includingcosts for labour and materials. In the case of emergency out of hour’s repairs anadditional call out charge will be made.

In exceptional circumstances, where thedamage or misuse is outside your control, we may not charge for the cost of the repair. If you feel you have been charged incorrectly,please tell us.

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Annual gas servicing

We visit every home once a year to ensurethat gas fires and heating systems areworking safely. For more information on gasservicing, see our gas service leaflet.

The annual gas safety check includes a testing of all gas appliances, pipe work,flues and smoke alarms. We will also checkany appliances in your home that you own.

Don’t miss this appointment – it’s free and it could save your life! If you think youcan smell gas you should then call theNational Gas Emergency freephone number0800 111 999.

Home improvements

If you are thinking of making any alterations toyour home, you must contact us to requestingpermission before you start any work.

You may be entitled to compensation for homeimprovement works if you decide to leave yourhome but this will only apply if you havereceived our written permission first.

When we give permission we may ask youto make sure the work is done in a certainway or to a specific standard. This will

include checking that the work will notdamage your home or make it unsafe. For some structural work, such as putting ina through lounge, you may need to get theapproval of the council’s building surveyor.

We will give you a decision within 28 working of receiving your request.

Below are some examples of where we mayreimburse you should you end your tenancy:

■ bathroom suite or replacement bath(colour to match existing);

■ shower over bath;■ shower room to replace bath;■ full kitchen;■ external door;■ full central heating;■ additional heaters, balanced flue gas

room heater or electric storage heater;■ gas fire;■ expansion of an existing heating

system provided the boiler has enough capacity.

To calculate a payment we will look at the cost and the current value of anyimprovement, the value will reduce overtime. We will also assess the condition of the improvement when you claim.

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If you owe us any money at the end of your tenancy, we will credit your account with the amount of compensation forimprovement works.

We will not make payments if you arebuying your home through the ‘Right to Buy’scheme. The minimum amount we pay forhome improvements is £250 up to amaximum of £3000.

You will need to make sure that anyone youemploy to do the work are adequatelyinsured against both damage to our propertyand to other people’s possessions orpersonal injury. Alternatively we cancomplete the works for you. This will giveyou the piece of mind that the work will becarried out to a high standard.

If you decide to use your own contractor we will inspect the finished works. If anywork on your home causes damage, we will either insist that you do the necessaryrepairs or we will complete the works andcharge the cost to you.

Home contents insurance

We insure the building but it is yourresponsibility to make sure that the contents of your home are insured.

We will not compensate you for damagecaused to fittings or personal possessionwhere we are not at fault.

Certain types of home contents insurancecan also cover you for accidental damage.You should check with your insurers whatpolicy offers are available.

We offer all our customers a low cost homeinsurance scheme which includes accidentaldamage. To take advantage of this scheme,please contact us for more details.

Shared areas

Shared or communal areas are places that more than one resident can use. Wemaintain these areas and charge a servicecharge to cover the cost of this. You canreport any repairs to us for shared areas in the usual way.

Customer satisfaction

We are committed to improving our servicesand always welcome feedback. When a repairis complete or works completed under ourimprovement programme, we may ask you tocomplete either a postal or telephone survey.Please help us to improve our services bytaking part in these surveys.

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Electrical tipsUseful hints & tips

Here’s some useful advice on repairs:

Electrical safety

If you have total or partial power failure,check whether a fuse has blown or a tripswitch has been activated. If a switch hastripped, unplug all appliances, reset theswitch, then plug appliances back in. As you plug them back in try to identify whichappliance may be causing a problem.

If electrical appliances or fittings are smoking, switch off the powerstraight away and contact us.

If lights are not working, check that thebulb is working. If a socket is not workingcheck the appliance is not faulty bychecking it on a working socket.

■ Keep a torch handy in case of a power failure;

■ try energy saving light bulbs;■ Do not take electrical items into

a bathroom;■ do not overload a power point;■ if you replace any fuses ensure its

replace with one of the correct size;■ switch off electrical items when not

in use and unplug them;■ if you experience any flickering of lights,

see or smell burn report it immediately;■ always report water leaks that have

come into contact with electrical itemsor supplies;

■ all electrical work must be carried out by a qualified electrician.

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Fire safety

If there is a fire in your home, leave asquickly and safely as possible, call the fireservice and stay outside until it arrives.

Have an escape plan ready and learnt, remembering the normal route out might be blocked. Make sure you know where the keys are and you can quickly get to them even in the dark.

■ Make sure you regularly test your smoke alarms;

■ avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone when cooking - keep matches andsaucepan handles out of their reach;

■ take care when cooking with hot oil - it can catch fire easily;

■ stub cigarettes out properly and disposeof them carefully;

■ be careful with candles and make surethey are secured in a proper holder and away from materials that may catch fire - like curtains;

■ close inside doors at night to stop a fire from spreading;

■ don't tackle a fire yourself: leave it to the professionals - get out, stay outand call 999.

Gas safety

You must provide us with access to yourhome every year to complete a gas safetycheck. As well as having a responsibility to allow us access, you also haveresponsibilities which include:

■ allow us access every year to make sure your appliances are workingcorrectly and safely;

■ reporting suspected gas leaks to thenational gas emergency freephonenumber 0800 11 999 and following the advice given;

■ ensuring any contractor you employ to carry out gas work to you home isregistered with ‘Gas Safe Register’. This includes asking to see their GasSafe Register Card which will includetheir details, photo ID and a list of theareas they are qualified to work on. There will also be a contact telephonenumber/website to check authenticity;

■ contacting us immediately if you or a member of your family is sleeping in a room which has an open flue appliancesuch as a gas fire so that we can checkthat they are safe to do so;

■ not attempting to do any gas-relatedwork or repairs yourself. Not only couldyou be breaking the law, but any workyou carry out could be life threatening

Fire safety top tips

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for you and your neighbours. Any gas related work or repairs must be done bya ‘Gas Safe’ registered installer. If youhave any questions or concerns aboutgas safety, please call us.

■ NEVER use a gas appliance if you think it is not working properly. Signs tolook out for include yellow or orange flames (except for live fuel-effect fires, which display this colour flame), soot or stains around appliances;

■ NEVER cover an appliance or block the convection air vents;

■ NEVER block or obstruct any fixed ventilation grilles or airbricks;

■ NEVER block or cover outside flues;■ NEVER fit draught exclusion strips

to doors of a room that contains a gas appliance;

■ NEVER allow anyone to carry out workon a gas appliance unless they are a fully qualified, “Gas Safe Register” registered installer;

■ ALWAYS have your gas appliances checked for safe operation, prior to using any new ceiling or extract fans.

Gas safety top tips

Plumbing

Blocked or frozen pipes

If you discover your pipes are frozen do not use the boiler or damp down a solid fuel fire, turn the water off and contact usimmediately. If you are away from yourhome in winter months, please ensure youleave the boiler switched on but at a verylow setting to ensure pipes do not freeze.

Major water leaks

Turn off the water supply using the stopcock. The stopcock is usually located to the side of your kitchen sink. Once thewater is turned off, call us immediately. You should also:

■ turn off the electrics using the on/off switch located on the main fuse board If the leak has affected theelectricity supply;

■ place a bucket under the bulge andmake a small hole to drain the water out if the water has leaked through anupstairs floor and the ceiling below is in danger of collapse.

Minor water leaks

If the leak only affects a wash hand basin,kitchen sink or toilet, locate the isolator valveand give it a quarter turn with a screwdriver.This will cut off the water supply only to that appliance.

Leaks to washing machines can be stopped byturning off the water at the machine’s connectors- blue is the cold supply and red is hot.

Internal blockages

If a sink, wash hand basin or toilet isblocked, try using a household plunger - remember to block the overflow openingwith a rag when doing this.

Blockages to toilets can be caused by tryingto flush inappropriate objects such asnappies, newspaper and toilet fresheners.

PLEASE NOTE that the cost of dealing with these types of blockages will becharged to you.

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■ DO NOT use toilet fresheners or toiletsblocks which dissolve in the cistern.Clip-on toilet fresheners should be used with care;

■ DO NOT flush nappies or sanitary towelsdown the toilet as these can all causeblockages which we may charge you for any associated repairs;

■ DO NOT open the lid of your toilet cistern;■ COVER GRIDS with chicken mesh to

avoid clogging;■ DO NOT pour fat down the kitchen

sink, waste outlet or drain. The fat willcongeal in the waste pipes and couldblock the main drain.

Plumbing tips

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Joinery & Glass

Door & window damage

If a door or window has been damagedfollowing a break in or through criminaldamage, you will need to get a crimereference number from your local policestation. If you do not provide us with thisnumber we will charge you the cost ofcompleting the repair work.

Door & window maintenance

You can help improve the maintenance of your doors and windows by:

■ cleaning frames with a soft cloth - dirt and grime can be easily removedwith warm soapy water solution and soft cloth;

■ drying the area with a chamois leather or soft cloth;

■ keeping debris and build up free fromwindow and door drainage channels to allow water to drain freely away;

■ wiping down handles and letter platesusing a damp cloth. The process used to colour handles is lacquering - cleanerssuch as Brasso or Duraglit should not beused as over time this will cause thelacquer to deteriorate and discolour;

■ not using abrasive and ammonia basedcleaners as these can cause deteriorationin the finish of the product.

Window opening mechanisms

All window opening mechanisms should be kept free from dirt and grit by wipingregularly using a clean dry cloth.

You can also apply general purpose oil onlocking mechanisms at least twice a year to allow smooth operation. This should only be used on locks and not any other parts ofthe window as grit may stick to the oil andcausing problems using the mechanisms.

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Window handles

Window handles are usually push buttonto open and either automatic of lockingor key locking. To open windows, graspthe handle and press the button down,turn the handle. For safety reasons, youshould remove any key from the windowlock when the window is open.

Kitchen cupboard doors

Please do not place unnecessary strain on kitchen cupboard doors or allow childrento swing on them.

Timber external doors

All timber doors have acceptable gapsaround them to allow for movementsbecause of weather conditions. When youreport a repair to an external door, our aimis to repair and not replace the door. Onlywhere repairs cannot be completed will wereplace the door.

■ Timber is a natural product which canexpand and shrink depending on theweather. This can cause sticking and maynot necessarily require any repair work;

■ clean glass regularly using a glasscleaner or warm soapy water.

Joinery & glass tips

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Structural repairs

Every house contains cracks, most are of nostructural significance. Some may be due tocorrosion of metal parts built into the house;few are due to foundation movement.

Thin cracks in plasterwork inside the homeare called ‘hairline’ cracks which are caused when plaster dries. Cracks like these are usually of no concern. If you areconcerned please contact us and we willcome and inspect.

Structural works will be carried out throughour planned repair programme.

Condensation

There is always some moisture in the aireven if you cannot see it.

As the air gets cooler it can hold lessmoisture so droplets of water appearespecially on cold surfaces. This is known as condensation.

Everyday examples of condensation are whenyou see your breath in cold weather or whenthe mirror mists up when you have a bath.

A lot of reports of damp are caused bycondensation. If you find patches of mouldon walls, furnishings or behind furniturecondensation might be the cause.

■ You can remove any mould growth by wiping the affected surfaces with a bleach-type solution;

■ wipe down windows and window ledgeswhen condensation appears on them.Wring out the cloth rather than drying it on a radiator or in front of a heater as this will only put the moisture back into the air which could lead to more condensation;

■ fit condensation channels or spongestrips to windows to collect thecondensation. These are cheap itemsthat can be bought from most DIY shops.Care must be taken to fit these properly;

■ don’t use radiators to dry clothes indoors;■ do not leave kettles boiling when you

are not using it;■ if you have an extractor fan, it should

be used when you start cooking orbathing or when windows start to steamup. This will significantly reduce thecondensation in your home.

■ keep kitchen and bathrooms doorsclosed when cooking, washing or bathing;

Condensation tips

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■ don’t overfill cupboards and wardrobes.Always make sure that some air cancirculate freely by fitting ventilators in doors and leaving a space at the back of the wardrobe to the wall as theseare often the coldest part of you home and the most lightly place forcondensation to form;

■ in winter open windows slightly only as long as they are misted up. If yourwindows have ventilators ensure they are left open as these will help reduce condensation.

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Frequently asked questions

Here are some of the answers to questions we often get asked about our repairs service:

Q. The tradesperson has not arrived to complete the work. What should I do?

A. Contact us to make another appointment.

If we do not attend and fail to contact youin advance, we will give you a £10 gift voucher as an apology.

Q. My repair can’t be fixed first time, will the tradesperson order follow up works or will I have to call?

A. No. We ask our tradespeople to contact us and make another appointment. We will then contact to make a convenient appointment. Sometimes the second appointment may depend on a part that we need to order. We will let you know the likely date that the part will be available. Once the part has arrived we will contact you again and arrange a convenient appointment to complete the repair.

Q. Can I stop paying my rent if my repairs do not get done?

A. No. If you think that we have not completed repairs please contact us and we will arrange for an inspection of your home. If you withhold your rent you risk losing your home.

Q. I have applied to buy my home, will I still get works done?

A. If you apply to buy your home the responsibility for carrying out repairs changes. We will remove your home from any ongoing and planned maintenance programmes. We will only carry out repairsthat we are legally obliged to do until your application is processed.

Q. Will I be charged for any repairs?

A. You will only be responsible for the repairs cost if you or an invited visitor to your home has caused the damage whether deliberately or accidently.

We will always make it clear why we are charging you and give you the opportunity to carry out the repairs work first yourself.

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At the end of your tenancy you may be charge for any damage to the property and the cost of removing any rubbish you leave behind in the home or garden

Q. I do not agree with my chargeable repair. What can I do?

A. If you disagree with the charge you must contact us and tell us why you think you should not be charged. If you remain dissatisfied, you can appeal against the decision through our Customer Feedback Policy. You can only make a complaint about the decision if you have given us the opportunity to discuss the charge with you first.

Q. What happens if I can’t afford to pay for the repair?

A. If you are unable to make payment in full you must contact us to make an acceptable payment arrangement.

Q. I have applied for a mutual exchange but been told I cannot exchange until I complete the chargeable repairs. Is this right?

A. Yes. We will withhold consent for you to exchange homes until outstanding repairs that are your responsibility are completed. If we do the repairs you mustmake full payment to us before we give permission for the exchange.

Q. My window has been smashed but I cannot get a crime reference number. Will I still be charged?

A. Yes. If the damage was done accidentally or wilfully and you can not get a crime reference number you will be liable for the cost of the repair. If you provide us with a crime reference number we will not charge you.

Q. How will I know when improvement works carried out?

A. If you are due to have works carried out, we will contact you before work starts to discuss your needs as well as talking to you about the type of work that will be undertaken. Where possible we will provide you with a choice of products.

We publish our planned programme on our website and through our UNiTY magazine. You can also contact us to seeif you are included in our programme.

Customer feedback

We value your views and would like to hear from about what you have thought aboutthe service you receive from us.

If you wish to make a complaint, compliment or give us a suggestion about ourservice you can do so by contacting 0800 169 2988.

Alternatively, see our Customer Feedback leaflet.

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3.1 Produced by Plus Dane Group Communications Team© June 2010