Housing repairs - council property

An easy read guide to repairs, decoration and equipment in your home.

Part of the rent you pay to your landlord is for looking after the property and keeping it in good condition.

What you must do

• Someone in the house needs to tell the landlord if anything is not working and needs repairing (fixing). This could be you or someone who helps you.
• You must let the landlord come into your house or flat to look at the problem.
• You must arrange the decoration of the inside of your house or flat. If you have a Support Provider they may help you do this.

What your landlord must do

• Repair (fix) the building and things outside like the drains, gutters and pipes.
• Make sure the heating, water, electricity and gas are all working.
• And sinks, baths, toilets too.
• If you live in a flat, your landlord will decorate the outside and shared areas of your flat.

Your landlord must tell you how quickly they will do a repair. If it is:

• An emergency - such as gas leak, loss of all your electricity or water supply, serious leak from the toilet, fire damage, unsafe gas or electricity, a total loss of heating and hot water sometime between November and March, blocked toilet or drain (when only one toilet in the property), making a property safe after a break-in, to gain access after tenant has lost keys.
  
  Emergency repairs will be carried out within 2 hours.
  
• Urgent repairs - such as some loss of water or electricity supply, a complete loss of heating and hot water sometime between April and October, a partial loss of heating and hot water at any time of year, minor plumbing leaks, a partly blocked sink, a blocked bath or basin, running overflows, leaking hot taps where boiler fired up.
  
  Urgent repairs will be carried out within 3 days.
  
• Routine repairs - such as landlords lighting (only one or two lights affected), minor repairs to external doors and window frames, minor plastering, running overflows in the spring and summer months.
  
  Routine repairs will be carried out within 10 days.
  
• Small renewals - such as toilet pans, cisterns and taps.
  
  Small renewals will be carried out within 10 days.
  
• Very minor repairs - such as loose or broken gutters, cracked windows, dripping cold taps, reglazes.
  
  Very minor repairs will be carried out within 28 days.

Your landlord should have a plan to carry out other work to be done every few years. They should carry out checks to see what this should cover. For example:

• Decorating any shared areas, such as corridors and stairways.
• Major repairs and improvements, such as new kitchens, new windows.

Letting people into your home to do repairs

Your landlord or a person working for them will:

• Make an appointment with you so you know when they will be coming to your home.
• Show you their ID (identification) card and say who they are before coming into your home.
• If you are not sure ask them to call back later so you have time to check with your landlord.

Equipment

The landlord has to look after fitted equipment provided with your house (such as lifts, boilers, entry phone.)

Some of this equipment needs to be checked every year and you must allow your landlord into your home to do this work. They will make an appointment to do this.

You will have supplied furniture and items for your home and have to look after or replace them yourself.

You will have to take care of all the things that belong to you in your house or flat. If they need to be fixed or replaced, if you have a Support Worker, they may be able to help you with this.

If you are not sure the landlord or Support Provider will be able to tell you whose job it is to get things fixed.

Useful Contacts - who to ask when something needs doing

By telephone

The number for reporting any repairs during the day is 01474 337 777

or you can contact one of the local neighbourhood offices:

• For Kings Farm Offices you can call 01474 337 642.
• For the Lawrence Square office you can call 01474 744 522

Telephone number for reporting emergency repairs in evenings, night time and at weekends is 01474 564 422

By writing

Customer Services, Housing Services, Gravesham Borough Council, Civic Centre, Windmill Street, Gravesend, Kent DA12 1AU

In person

Civic Centre, Windmill Street, Gravesend, Kent DA12 1AU

By email

housing.repairs.team@gravesham.gov.uk

What to do if you smell gas

If you smell gas telephone call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 or Minicom or Textphone 0800 371 787

Remember you will need to say:

• Your name
• Your Address
• Your telephone number
• What the problem is