Repair responsibilities

Overview

Although we will carry out most repairs for general wear and tear, there are some things you will need to organise and pay for yourself.

You are responsible for:

any damage caused by yourself, a member of your household or visitor
replacing keys or locks when keys are lost or when you get locked out
fitting and repairing additional door locks or latches
replacing or repairing catches, locks and latches on internal doors and cupboards
repair and maintain any fixture, fitting or appliance you have put in, unless we have agreed to maintain it for you
adjusting doors when you have fitted new carpets
replacing curtain rails and battens
replacing coat rails and hooks
replacing light bulbs, fluorescent tubes and starters
resetting trip switches and, if necessary, turning off the mains supply
testing your smoke detector regularly
unblocking basins, sinks, baths and toilets
unblocking washing machines or dishwashers
replacing plugs and chains on baths, basins and sinks
installing washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers
keeping drain covers clear of leaves or rubbish
keeping air vents clear

If you are over 60 years old or disabled and have no able-bodied adult to help you, we may be able to put you in touch with organisations that can help
If damage is caused by a break-in or vandalism, we will carry out work to make your home safe. We will then investigate the causes before we carry out further work
If for reasons of safety or security, we have to carry out repairs that are your responsibility, we will charge you the full cost of getting the work carried out

To make sure your home is safe for you and your family, and keep your home in good working order you must:

keep your property and garden in good condition
decorate inside including filling minor cracks or holes.
let us know as soon as you notice a repair is needed and take action to prevent it getting worse
allow us access to your property to carry out repairs, annual safety checks and any necessary inspections
take action to prevent and control condensation
take action to prevent pipes from freezing or bursting
contact Gas Emergency Service immediately if there is a gas leak - call free on 0800 111999
turn off your water supply at the stop tap if a water pipe has burst and then turning on all taps to allow remaining water to flow out