Tenant and landlord responsibilities

The rent you pay to your landlord (the Council) pays for your repairs and maintenance service. We are committed to ensuring that all our tenants receive a fair and value for money service for the rent they pay.

The Council and our repairs and maintenance contractors Willmott Dixon and Morrison, currently carry out around 40,000 repairs a year.

These repairs range from small repairs such as fixing taps, toilets and skirting, to larger maintenance projects such as guttering, pathways and roofs.

In order to share the responsibility of repairs, tenants are responsible for carrrying out their own minor repair work such as fences, gates and gate latches, decorating the inside of your home and changing locks if you lose your keys or if they are stolen.

When we may charge you for a repair

We will charge you for any works which are listed below as the tenants' responsibilities if you ask us to carry out the works on your behalf. We will also recharge for any works required as a result of tenant damage or life style.

We will ask you to agree a payment arrangement. You will be given the option to make arrangements for the work to be done on your behalf by a competent person independent of the Council.

We will be able to give you an estimated cost for the work to enable you to make a decision. Works carried out by any third party contractor will be subject to inspection by us to ensure quality and safety standards are maintained. These inspections will be chargeable.

Tenant responsibilities

Plumbing

Refix or renew toilet seat
Renew plug and chain
Renew radiator valve covers
Cylinder jackets
W/C chains - high level cisterns
Plunging/minor blockages to sinks

Electrical

Skirts to light fittings
Fluorescent tubes and starters
Light bulbs, including outside lights
Smoke alarm batteries
Renew fuses to fans and batteries
Renew rewirable fuses
TV aerials, dishes or socket other than communal
Tenants own non-standard light fittings, equipment or appliances;
Tenants own non-standard DIY wiring
All extension leads
Connection of cooker appliances
Telephone cables equipment, except door access control
Regular test of ELCB facility
Reset timer controls to heating and hot water systems
Tenants own electrical appliances

External

Repairing footpaths over and above the existing footpaths providing access to the property
Clothes posts
Driveways, patios, water features and decking with the exception of the estate improvements
Clear blocked gully grate

Joinery

Internal door handles and latches
Cupboard door handles and catches
Curtain battens and tracks
Hat and coat hooks
Door numbers and letter plates
Clothes Line hooks
Gate catches
Extra window locks
Door chains
Extra shelving
Extra pipe boxing
Outbuilding locks
Gates and fencing not affecting health and safety of the occupants

Glazing

Reglazing caused by neglect or misuse

Tenant's own fixtures and fittings

Decorating the inside of your home
Decorative repairs
Superficial plaster cracks (minor cracks that you need to fill before decorating)

Last update: 17/02/2012