Repair responsibilities
Repair responsibilities
Please see the below options on repair responsibilites.
Please remember:
- If you fitted something, had it fitted or if you accepted it as a gift when you accepted your property, it will be your responsibility to fix and maintain it
- We will charge you for repairing something that is your responsibility or that’s been damaged by someone or something other than us
- To cover any accidental damage to items in your home we strongly suggest you get contents insurance
Both kitchens and bathrooms
Type of repair |
Who? |
| Unblocking blocked waste pipes, sinks, baths, basins and toilets | You |
| Leaks | Us |
| Waste pipe repairs | Us |
| Wall and floor tiles | Us |
| Disabled facilities including hand/grab rails, toilet plinths and shower trays fitted by us | Us |
| Water stop cocks and valves | Us |
| Taps | Us |
| Plugs and chains | You |
| Sinks and basins | Us |
| Extractor fans (see electrics below) | |
| Lights, light bulbs and fluorescent tubes (see electrics below) |
Bathrooms
Type of repair |
Who? |
| Baths | Us |
| Damaged bath enamel. Repair kits can be bought from DIY stores | You |
| Bath panels | You |
| Toilets and cisterns | Us |
| Toilet seats | You* |
| Showers and shower trays fitted by us | Us |
| Shower hoses, heads*, curtain rails, curtains, riser rails and clips | You* |
*We’ll repair or replace these if you live in one of our retirement or flexicare homes.
Kitchens
Type of repair |
Who? |
| Kitchen cupboard door hinges, drawer handles and runners | You |
| Kitchen worktops, cupboards and cupboard doors | Us |
| Outside taps (see gardens, fences and trees below) |
Some blockages are our responsibility to clear and others are yours.
Common blockages and how to clear them
If the blockage is in the U-bend under your sink, bath, shower or toilet, then you’ll need to clear this yourself.
You can do this using a plunger or drain unblocking liquid which can be bought from a local DIY shop.
There are also lots of helpful videos about how to do this on YouTube.
Outside drains
If an outside drain is blocked try to clear it. If the blockage is below ground or in the main drain please report it to us.
When to report a blockage to us
Report a repair to us if:
- A gutter is blocked or leaking
- You’ve tried to clear a blockage yourself but it’s still blocked
Please remember:
- If you fitted something, had it fitted or if you accepted it as a gift when you accepted your property it will be your responsibility to fix and maintain it
- To cover any accidental damage to items in your home we strongly suggest you get contents insurance
Type of repair |
Who? |
| Your main front and back doors. This includes the hinges, frames, locks, paint and the doors themselves | Us |
| Other external doors | You |
| Catches, spy holes, door numbers, letter plates, security chains, draught excluders | You* |
| Internal doors including the hinges and handles | You |
| Internal door frames | Us |
* We will repair or replace these if you live in a block of flats or in one of our retirement or flexicare homes.
Type of repair |
Who? |
| Glass | You* |
| Condensation inside double glazed windows | Us |
| Window frames, handles, fastenings and hinges | Us |
| Window locks and restrictors. For safety reasons we don’t allow window locks or restrictors to be fitted to windows, unless it’s a recommendation from a professional organisation |
* Unless this was an act of crime (see below)
Lost keys and forced entry
We don’t keep copies of keys to any individual properties. If you lose your keys, contact a lock-smith rather than forcing or breaking a door or window. We’ll charge you if we have to board up or repair any doors or windows that have been damaged by you.
Theft and break-ins
If your keys were stolen or if your home was broken into as a result of crime, please tell us the crime reference number when you report it to us.
Please remember:
- If you fitted something, had it fitted or if you accepted it as a gift when you accepted your property, it will be your responsibility to fix and maintain it
- We will charge you for repairing something that is your responsibility or that’s been damaged by someone or something other than us
- To cover any accidental damage to items in your home we strongly suggest you get
Type of repair |
Who? |
| Arranging for a gas and/or electric supply and connection to your property | You |
| Gas meter (contact your gas company) | You |
| Gas central heating including boilers and radiators | Us |
| Gas water heaters | Us |
| Hot water cylinder and immersion heater | Us |
| Arranging for a cooker to be safely connected to the gas supply by a qualified person | You |
| Carbon monoxide detectors fitted by us | Us |
| Electric, oil-fired or solid fuel heating systems | Us |
| Chimney flues (chimneys will be swept as part of the annual heating service) | Us |
| Lofts, insulation, roofs and chimneys (see roofs and chimneys below) |
If you have a garden you must:
- Maintain it to a good standard including any grass, hedges and trees
- Keep pathways on your land clear of slip hazards, and if you have a tree that overhangs a public pathway, you need to make sure low or loose branches are not dangerous to others
- Keep it tidy and free from rubbish
- Not store any flammable liquids, cylinders or appliances such as petrol, diesel or parafin
- Not store unused items such as old washing machines, fridges, cars, motorcycles and parts, furniture etc
- Not remove a tree, put up a shed or other structures without written permission from us
- Not park or store any cars or vehicles unless you have a driveway.
- Not store a large van, camper van or caravan without written permission from us
Type of repair/maintenance |
Who? |
| Washing lines / rotary dryer / clothes posts | You* |
| Water butts | You |
| Outside taps | You* |
| Cutting grass, hedges and maintenance of trees and other vegetation | You* |
| Collecting and disposing of fallen leaves | You |
| Dealing with pests such as rats, pigeons, wasps, ants etc | You* |
| Fences and gates at the front of the property | You |
| Fences and gates at the back of the property | Us# |
* If it’s in a communal area we’ll maintain this.
# We may replace damaged fences with more economical chain-link fences unless they back onto a public area or footpath.
Trees
If you want to cut back or remove a tree in your garden you must get written permission from us first. We will seek planning consent where this is necessary.
If a tree in your garden is overhanging your neighbour’s garden, they can request you cut this back to the boundary line. Alternatively they can carry out this work themselves once they have permission from us to do so. You have no obligation to do this work unless the tree is dangerous or diseased.
Leaves
Although, you don’t have to collect and dispose of leaves, it’s good to remove them from drains before they block them. See also gutters and drains below.
Will settle remove leaves?
We don’t normally remove fallen leaves from communal areas.
If leaves are causing you a mobility or safety problem please contact us.
Please remember:
- If you fitted something, had it fitted or if you accepted it as a gift when you accepted your property, it will be your responsibility to fix and maintain it
- We will charge you for repairing something that is your responsibility or that’s been damaged by someone or something other than us
- To cover any accidental damage to items in your home we strongly suggest you get contents insurance
Type of repair |
Who? |
| Electric meters, arranging the supply of electricity to your property and reporting any faults with meters to the electricity supplier | You |
| Resetting trip switches at the main fuse board (consumer unit) | You |
| Electrical faults | Us |
| Plug sockets, light switches, light fittings and other electrical fittings we have installed | Us |
| Cords for pull cord light switches | You |
| Phone, broadband, TV and satellite sockets | You |
| TV aerials at individual properties | You |
| Communal TV aerials (usually in blocks of flats) | Us |
| External lighting fitted by us | Us |
| Replacing or cleaning the filters in extractor fans | You |
| Extractor fan faults | Us |
| Arranging for a cooker to be safely connected to the electric supply by a qualified person | You |
| Faults with mains powered smoke detectors | Us |
| Fuses in plugs and appliances | You |
| Replacing light bulbs including fluorescent (strip) lights and fluorescent light starter motor (watch: changing a flourescent tube and starter video) | You |
| Replacing light bulbs in sealed lights | You* |
* We will repair or replace this if you live in one of our retirement or flexicare homes.
Please remember:
- If you fitted something, had it fitted or if you accepted it as a gift when you accepted your property, it will be your responsibility to fix and maintain it
- We will charge you for repairing something that is your responsibility or that’s been damaged by someone or something other than us
- To cover any accidental damage to items in your home we strongly suggest you get contents insurance
Type of repair |
Who? |
| Lost garage keys and keys snapped in locks (see also the ‘lost keys and forced entry’ section on the doors and windows page) | You |
| Garage roofs, guttering, walls, doors (including opening mechanism), and forecourts/driveways | Us* |
| Sheds | You |
| Structural repairs to concrete and brick-built sheds, outbuildings and porches attached to your home | Us# |
| Lean-to extensions and conservatories etc | You |
| Coal Bunkers | You |
* If your rented garage becomes unusable or insecure as a result of a needed repair we’ll credit any rent due thereafter until the repair has been completed or we may offer you an alternative garage if we have one available.
# This doesn’t include repairs to windows, doors, keys, locks, furnishings, electrics, plumbing, decoration etc. We may remove a brick-built shed, outbuilding or porch if it’s unrepairable, however we’ll always discuss this with you first.
Please remember:
- If you fitted something, had it fitted or if you accepted it as a gift when you accepted your property, it will be your responsibility to fix and maintain it
- We will charge you for repairing something that is your responsibility or that’s been damaged by someone or something other than us
- To cover any accidental damage to items in your home we strongly suggest you get contents insurance
Type of repair |
Who? |
| Minor cracks and damage that can be filled with common wall filler | You |
| Large cracks and areas of plaster coming away from the wall | Us |
| Painting and decorating | You |
| Painting/repainting and decorating following repairs we or our contractors have carried out | You |
| Coving and dado rails | You |
| Skirting boards | Us |
| Wall tiles in rooms other than kitchens and bathrooms | You |
Type of repair |
Who? |
| Floorboards | Us |
| Carpets, laminate flooring and other floor coverings | You* |
| Floor tiles in rooms other than kitchens and bathrooms | You* |
| Stairs, bannisters and handrails | Us |
| Disabled facilities including stair lifts, ramps and handrails fitted by us | Us |
* Some old floor tiles sometimes found in kitchens and bathrooms can contain minor traces of asbestos. Before removing any please read our asbestos page.
Please remember:
- If you fitted something, had it fitted or if you accepted it as a gift when you accepted your property, it will be your responsibility to fix and maintain it
- We will charge you for repairing something that is your responsibility or that’s been damaged by someone or something other than us
- To cover any accidental damage to items in your home we strongly suggest you get contents insurance
Type of repair |
Who? |
| Insulation to pipes | Us |
| Water storage tanks and overflow pipes | Us |
| Loft and roof insulation | Us* |
*We’ll only repair and maintain loft insulation if damaged by a flood, fire or pests. Insulation upgrades are not classed as repairs
Type of repair |
Who? |
| Roof repairs | Us |
| Solar panels | Us |
| Fascia boards and soffits | Us |
| Gutters and drains (see gutters and drains below) | |
| Chimneys and chimney pots | Us |
| TV aerials and satellite dishes on individual properties | You# |
| Communal TV aerials on blocks of flats | Us |
# To ask for written permission to install a TV aerial or satellite dish please see our DIY and making improvements to your home page.
Please remember:
- If you fitted something, had it fitted or if you accepted it as a gift when you accepted your property, it will be your responsibility to fix and maintain it
- We will charge you for repairing something that is your responsibility or that’s been damaged by someone or something other than us
- To cover any accidental damage to items in your home we strongly suggest you get contents insurance
Type of repair |
Who? |
| Driveways | You* |
| Paths to your front and back doors | Us |
| Concrete or paved paths, patios and other areas not required to access the property | You* |
| Garage forecourts and driveways | Us |
| Disabled facilities including ramps and handrails fitted by us | Us |
* We may remove or repair isolated areas we think are dangerous or cause a trip hazard
Driveways and parking
You must not park or store any vehicles unless you have a paved or concrete driveway and a dropped curb from the road.
If you want to lay a driveway you must get our written permission first.
If you have a driveway you must:
- Not use it to store unroadworthy vehicles
- Not store a caravan or camper van without written permission from us
- Not use it to carry out major vehicle repairs
- Keep it tidy and not store items such as old washing machines, fridges, furniture etc.
If you’re having problems with parking at your block or in the neighbourhood, please read the parking problems section on the communal areas page.
Please remember:
- If you fitted something, had it fitted or if you accepted it as a gift when you accepted your property, it will be your responsibility to fix and maintain it
- We will charge you for repairing something that is your responsibility or that’s been damaged by someone or something other than us
- To cover any accidental damage to items in your home we strongly suggest you get contents insurance
Type of repair |
Who? |
| Walls | Us |
| Rendering | Us |
| External painting and decoration | Us |
| Outside taps (please see gardens, fences and trees) |
If you want to make a change to your home that involves building or altering a wall or will change the external appearance of the property please read our DIY and making improvements to your home page.
Please remember:
- If you fitted something, had it fitted or if you accepted it as a gift when you accepted your property, it will be your responsibility to fix and maintain it
- We will charge you for repairing something that is your responsibility or that’s been damaged by someone or something other than us
- To cover any accidental damage to items in your home we strongly suggest you get contents insurance
Type of repair |
Who? |
| Blocked or leaking gutters and downpipes | Us |
| Blocked drains | You* |
| Cleaning drain gullies and grates | You |
| Broken drain gullies | Us |
| Rainwater harvesting systems fitted by us | Us |
* If the drain blockage is below the ground in the main sewer you’ll need to contact your water or sewerage company
Some of our properties have systems that treat and safely dispose of sewerage and waste water (water from toilets, sinks, showers, dishwashers, washing machines etc).
If you live in a property that uses a sewerage treatment system, never put the following kinds of things down the sinks or toilets as then can clog or damage the system: wipes, nappies, sanitary products including tampons, paint, oils or oil-based chemicals including motor oil, grease etc.
If you think there’s a problem with the system please contact us immediately and let us know.
Emptying and servicing
We will:
- Inspect the system every month
- Service the system twice a year
- Empty the tanks before they become full
- Arrange for our contractor to fix any problems as quickly as possible (if it’s an emergency within 24 hours)
The costs of providing and maintaining the system will be divided between the number of properties using it and included in your service charge.