Repairs and Maintenance Overview
From time to time repairs will be required in your home. We rely on you to tell us about repairs that are needed as soon as you notice them.
When you signed your tenancy agreement you agreed to look after your home and Teachers' Housing Association agreed to carry out certain repairs, such as to keep the structure and exterior of your home in good repair and maintain the installations for water, electricity, gas and drainage inside your home.
As part of your tenancy agreement you agreed to allow us to enter your home to:
- Inspect the state of the property.
- Carry out any of our duties under the tenancy agreement, including carrying out repairs
Once we have been notified of the repair, we will issue a work order to a contractor. We will ask the contractor to complete the work as quickly as possible within the timescales for carrying out repairs set out later. Some repairs are the responsibility of the tenant and these are outlined below.
Repairs
We aim to provide an efficient and effective repair service. You can find out here about the repairs service. If you can’t find the answer to your query please let us know so we can review the information provided on the website.
What happens when I report a repair?
You will be asked for details about the problem. This could include:
- What needs repairing/replacing.
- What the problem is – leaking, broken etc.
- Where in the home the repair is needed.
- How the contractor can best contact you.
We will send a work order to the contractor and we will send you a letter telling you:
- The target date for the repair to be completed.
- Who the contractor is.
- The repair order reference number for the work
The contractor will contact you to arrange access to undertake the repair. If you cannot be at home please ask a friend, neighbour or family member if they can stand in for you. Sometimes the contractor will not make a prior appointment but if you are not in when the contractor visits, they will leave a card asking you to ring to arrange another appointment.
How long will the repair take?
The length of time a repair takes will depend on how serious the problem is. Teachers’ Housing Association uses guidelines given by the Housing Corporation to determine the repairs in each category. The target response time for each category is as follows:
Emergencies – target is 24 hours. (Click here to see what repairs are classed as an emergency).
Urgent – target is 7 days. (Click here to see what repairs are classed as urgent).
Routine – target is 31 days. (Click here to see what repairs are classed as routine).
Will Teachers' Housing Association undertake all repairs in my home?
The Association is responsible for the building and any fixtures or fittings installed by Teachers’ Housing Association.
Click here to check what items are the Associations’ responsibility to maintain.
Click here to check what items are the tenants responsibility.
Click here to check if Teachers' Housing Association will recharge the cost of the repair to you.
What if I am not happy about the repair?
Each time a repair is reported we issue a works orders and a tenant satisfaction sheet for you to complete. Please ensure that you return this because it lets us know if you were happy with the repair or if you experienced any problem with the contractor and helps us to identify areas to improve our repairs service.
Sometimes things do go wrong with a repair and if this happens you should contact your Scheme Manager, Area Staff or our Surveyor so that we can sort out the problem.
If you are still not happy you can make a formal complaint which will be investigated by the Housing Services Director.
Damp and Mould
Damp, condensation, or mould issues in your home can be a real issue. It can occur in many different forms and for many different reasons.
If you have concerns about damp and mould, it is important to let us know through whichever form of contact you feel comfortable with either through a scheme manager, email or telephone contact.
We will then:
Work together to resolve the issue and may request photographs of the affected areas.
Any work that we are responsible for will be identified and rectified.
Damp and mould tips
The video produced by the UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings (UKCMB) also offers some guidance on how to avoid moisture problems in your home.