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

www.neighbourhoodinvestor.com

repairs service

We are committed to providing well maintained and affordable homes. The responsibility of looking after your home is a joint one. We will repair and maintain the following:

■ the structure and outside of your home

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including the roof, drains gutters, chimneys and external pipes; electrical wiring, sockets and light fittings; mains services such as water, gas, electricity and sanitation, including kitchen 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 and radiators and water heating equipment such as boilers and immersion heaters; pathways and steps which are the main means of access to your home; boundary fences, shared areas of flats and shared TV aerials.

Generally, you are responsible for looking after your home and putting right any damage that you, a member of your family or a guest in your house has caused whether it be deliberately or through neglect or carelessness. 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 ■ ■

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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 toilets blocked by inappropriate items.

How to report a repair

We will need to know:

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:

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

■ 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 [email protected]; ■ order online at www.neighbourhoodinvestor.com.

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

When reporting a repair we will ask you questions to find out exactly what the fault is. Please be patient as the more information we have the quicker we will be able to deal with your request.

can make a convenient appointment – please note that there must be an adult over the age of 18 years old at home when we call to complete a repair; ■ a contact telephone number; ■ any special requests such as a secure password to identify the caller, or time allowance 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

Your right to repair

If we are not able to keep an appointment we will contact you to rearrange for another time. 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.

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

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

Under the scheme you will be entitled to £2 every extra day that you wait for the repair to be completed. The maximum compensation you can receive for any one job is £50. Examples of where we will not pay compensation under this scheme are:

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 improvement works or repairs which are outside our normal landlord obligations, we can provide you a competitive price for the works, giving you the piece of mind the work will be completed by our fully trained trades people or contractors. Works of this nature are called chargeable repairs. 4

■ if you did not keep your appointment; ■ if you did not allow reasonable access which meant the job was not carried out within the stated timescale; ■ the repair is weather dependent.

How soon will a repair be done? We aim to carry out repairs by appointment at your convenience and we have 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.

Emergency Repairs – response time within 2 hours Emergency repairs include works required to avoid immediate danger to health and 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 our urgent or routine priorities depending on the type of work required. Where your heating has failed and it is during the winter months of October to April and we are unable to carry out a full repair we will provide temporary heaters. We will provide heaters all year round to our older and more vulnerable customers. Please do not deliberately report a repair as an emergency in order to have it repaired more quickly than its priority. You may be charged if you do this.

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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 choose from 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.

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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:

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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.■

Emergency repairs outside of normal office hours If you have an emergency such as a burst pipe, boarding up of doors and windows, no electricity supply or a heating breakdown with no other form of heat that needs immediate attention out of office hours, weekends or bank holidays, then please telephone 0800 169 2988 (Merseyside) or 0500 026 079 (Cheshire);

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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.

Repairs caused by wilful, accidental damage or neglect In the case of emergency repairs that are caused through damage or neglect, due to the limited timescale involved, we will complete the repair then charge the cost to you. If we tell you a repair is your responsibility, you will have the opportunity to put the repair right. When you have done so, you should let us know so that we can arrange to inspect the completed works to check it has been finished to an acceptable standard. If it does not meet our repairs standard, we will complete the repair and charge you the cost. In cases of emergency, due to the urgent need to complete the work, we will complete the repair then charge the cost to you. Where the damage is a result of vandalism or a violent incident, you must report it to the police and get a crime reference number. If you report the repair to us and give us the crime reference number, we will complete the work and not charge you the cost. If you or a member of your household is convicted by the police for causing 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 the work before it is completed. Where it is not possible to tell you the cost, for example in the case of an emergency, we will let you know the charge five working days after the repair has been completed. We will then send you an invoice for payment which should be settled within 28 days. Charges for rechargeable repairs are based on current repair costs, including costs for labour and materials. In the case of emergency out of hour’s repairs an additional call out charge will be made. In exceptional circumstances, where the damage 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 ensure that gas fires and heating systems are working safely. For more information on gas servicing, 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 check any appliances in your home that you own.

Don’t miss this appointment – it’s free and it could save your life! If you think you can smell gas you should then call the National Gas Emergency freephone number 0800 111 999.

Home improvements If you are thinking of making any alterations to your home, you must contact us to requesting permission before you start any work. You may be entitled to compensation for home improvement works if you decide to leave your home but this will only apply if you have received our written permission first. When we give permission we may ask you to make sure the work is done in a certain way or to a specific standard. This will 10

include checking that the work will not damage your home or make it unsafe. For some structural work, such as putting in a through lounge, you may need to get the approval 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 may reimburse 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 any improvement, the value will reduce over time. We will also assess the condition of the improvement when you claim.

If you owe us any money at the end of your tenancy, we will credit your account with the amount of compensation for improvement works. We will not make payments if you are buying your home through the ‘Right to Buy’ scheme. The minimum amount we pay for home improvements is £250 up to a maximum of £3000. You will need to make sure that anyone you employ to do the work are adequately insured against both damage to our property and to other people’s possessions or personal injury. Alternatively we can complete the works for you. This will give you the piece of mind that the work will be carried out to a high standard. If you decide to use your own contractor we will inspect the finished works. If any work on your home causes damage, we will either insist that you do the necessary repairs or we will complete the works and charge the cost to you.

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

We will not compensate you for damage caused to fittings or personal possession where we are not at fault. Certain types of home contents insurance can also cover you for accidental damage. You should check with your insurers what policy offers are available. We offer all our customers a low cost home insurance scheme which includes accidental damage. 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. We maintain these areas and charge a service charge to cover the cost of this. You can report any repairs to us for shared areas in the usual way.

Customer satisfaction We are committed to improving our services and always welcome feedback. When a repair is complete or works completed under our improvement programme, we may ask you to complete either a postal or telephone survey. Please help us to improve our services by taking part in these surveys.

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Useful hints & tips

Electrical 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 trip switch has been activated. If a switch has tripped, unplug all appliances, reset the switch, then plug appliances back in. As you plug them back in try to identify which appliance may be causing a problem. If electrical appliances or fittings are smoking, switch off the power straight away and contact us. If lights are not working, check that the bulb is working. If a socket is not working check the appliance is not faulty by checking it on a working socket.

■ Keep a torch handy in case of ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

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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 items or supplies; all electrical work must be carried out by a qualified electrician.

Fire safety

Gas safety

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

You must provide us with access to your home every year to complete a gas safety check. As well as having a responsibility to allow us access, you also have responsibilities which include:

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.

■ allow us access every year to make

■ Fire safety top tips ■ Make sure you regularly test your ■

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smoke alarms; avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone when cooking - keep matches and saucepan handles out of their reach; take care when cooking with hot oil - it can catch fire easily; stub cigarettes out properly and dispose of them carefully; be careful with candles and make sure they 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 out and call 999.

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sure your appliances are working correctly and safely; reporting suspected gas leaks to the national gas emergency freephone number 0800 11 999 and following the advice given; ensuring any contractor you employ to carry out gas work to you home is registered with ‘Gas Safe Register’. This includes asking to see their Gas Safe Register Card which will include their details, photo ID and a list of the areas they are qualified to work on. There will also be a contact telephone number/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 appliance such as a gas fire so that we can check that they are safe to do so; not attempting to do any gas-related work or repairs yourself. Not only could you be breaking the law, but any work you carry out could be life threatening 13

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

Gas safety top tips

■ NEVER use a gas appliance if you

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think it is not working properly. Signs to look 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 work on 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.

Plumbing

Minor water leaks

Blocked or frozen pipes

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

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 us immediately. If you are away from your home in winter months, please ensure you leave the boiler switched on but at a very low setting to ensure pipes do not freeze.

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

Major water leaks

Internal blockages

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

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

■ turn off the electrics using the

Blockages to toilets can be caused by trying to flush inappropriate objects such as nappies, newspaper and toilet fresheners.

on/off switch located on the main fuse board If the leak has affected the electricity supply; ■ place a bucket under the bulge and make a small hole to drain the water out if the water has leaked through an upstairs floor and the ceiling below is in danger of collapse.

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

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Plumbing tips ■ DO NOT use toilet fresheners or toilets

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blocks which dissolve in the cistern. Clip-on toilet fresheners should be used with care; DO NOT flush nappies or sanitary towels down the toilet as these can all cause blockages 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 will congeal in the waste pipes and could block the main drain.

Joinery & Glass Door & window damage If a door or window has been damaged following a break in or through criminal damage, you will need to get a crime reference number from your local police station. If you do not provide us with this number we will charge you the cost of completing the repair work. Door & window maintenance You can help improve the maintenance of your doors and windows by:

■ cleaning frames with a soft cloth -

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dirt and grime can be easily removed with warm soapy water solution and soft cloth; drying the area with a chamois leather or soft cloth; keeping debris and build up free from window and door drainage channels to allow water to drain freely away; wiping down handles and letter plates using a damp cloth. The process used to colour handles is lacquering - cleaners such as Brasso or Duraglit should not be used as over time this will cause the lacquer to deteriorate and discolour; not using abrasive and ammonia based cleaners as these can cause deterioration in the finish of the product.

Window opening mechanisms All window opening mechanisms should be kept free from dirt and grit by wiping regularly using a clean dry cloth. You can also apply general purpose oil on locking mechanisms at least twice a year to allow smooth operation. This should only be used on locks and not any other parts of the window as grit may stick to the oil and causing problems using the mechanisms. 17

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Window handles Window handles are usually push button to open and either automatic of locking or key locking. To open windows, grasp the handle and press the button down, turn the handle. For safety reasons, you should remove any key from the window lock when the window is open. Kitchen cupboard doors Please do not place unnecessary strain on kitchen cupboard doors or allow children to swing on them. Timber external doors All timber doors have acceptable gaps around them to allow for movements because of weather conditions. When you report a repair to an external door, our aim is to repair and not replace the door. Only where repairs cannot be completed will we replace the door.

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Joinery & glass tips ■ Timber is a natural product which can expand and shrink depending on the weather. This can cause sticking and may not necessarily require any repair work; ■ clean glass regularly using a glass cleaner or warm soapy water.

Structural repairs

Condensation tips Every house contains cracks, most are of no structural significance. Some may be due to corrosion of metal parts built into the house; few are due to foundation movement.

■ You can remove any mould growth

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

■ Structural works will be carried out through our planned repair programme. Condensation There is always some moisture in the air even if you cannot see it.

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As the air gets cooler it can hold less moisture so droplets of water appear especially on cold surfaces. This is known as condensation. Everyday examples of condensation are when you see your breath in cold weather or when the mirror mists up when you have a bath.

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by wiping the affected surfaces with a bleach-type solution; wipe down windows and window ledges when 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 sponge strips to windows to collect the condensation. These are cheap items that 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 or bathing or when windows start to steam up. This will significantly reduce the condensation in your home. keep kitchen and bathrooms doors closed when cooking, washing or bathing;

A lot of reports of damp are caused by condensation. If you find patches of mould on walls, furnishings or behind furniture condensation might be the cause. 19

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■ don’t overfill cupboards and wardrobes. Always make sure that some air can circulate freely by fitting ventilators in doors and leaving a space at the back of the wardrobe to the wall as these are often the coldest part of you home and the most lightly place for condensation to form; ■ in winter open windows slightly only as long as they are misted up. If your windows 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 you in 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 repairs that 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. 21

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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 must make full payment to us before we give permission for the exchange. 22

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 see if you are included in our programme.

Customer feedback We value your views and would like to hear from about what you have thought about the service you receive from us. If you wish to make a complaint, compliment or give us a suggestion about our service you can do so by contacting 0800 169 2988. Alternatively, see our Customer Feedback leaflet.

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Produced by Plus Dane Group Communications Team © June 2010