Repairs handbookfor tenants

This handbook contains information about the repairs serviceto tenants of North Tyneside Council. The service is providedto you by our in-house service, or one of our specialist contractors working on our behalf.

About thishandbook

Contents

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Emergencies – where is it in your homeEmergencies – what to doBefore you report a repairContacting usOur commitment to youHow you can help us• Home contents insuranceWhat happens after you report a repair?What you can expect from us when:• Reporting a repair• Appointments• Repair priorities• Right first time• Improving our serviceYour right to a repairPlanned improvements to your homeRepair responsibilities

What can I do if I find it difficult to getaround my homeCan I make improvements to my home?Other important information• Condensation• Rechargeable repairsComments, complaints and compliments

It is a good idea to fill in the boxes below to show wherethese items are in your home. This information could be veryimportant if there is a problem in your home, particularly if itis an emergency.

Emergencies– where is it in your home

Gas meter

Mains water stop tap

Service valves

Consumer unit (fuse box)

1.2.3.4.

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Reporting emergency repairs to us:

We class emergency repairs as repairswhich present a danger to life or limb, orare a major health and safety risk, or a security risk. These include uncontrollablewater leaks, loss of heating or hot water,or loss of power.

We will take action to make the propertysafe and secure. We will also take action to safeguard people at risk e.g.children, the elderly, residents with disabilities or expectant mothers.

To report an emergency repair between7:30am and 8pm call 0345 2000 102.

Out of hours emergency:If you need an emergency repair between8pm to 7:30am call 0345 2000 102.Please note that the out of hours serviceis only to be used to make your homesafe in the event of emergencies such asflooding or major electrical faults.

Gas (smell, leak or fumes)• Call National Grid (Gas) on 0800 111 999 immediately. Use a mobile phone outside your home (even using a mobile inside could spark an explosion).• Turn off the gas and open windows. Turn the handle at the meter to the flat (horizontal) position.• Don’t smoke or switch anything electrical on or off until the problem is fixed.• Notify us by calling our dedicated Customer Service Centre on 0345 2000 102.

Smoke, fumes or your smoke detectoralarm sounds• If you can smell or see smoke, call 999 immediately.• If there is no sign of smoke or fire, check whether the alarm has been set off by something else.

Electricity Fittings or appliances sparking, flickeringor giving off shocks:• Turn the mains switch at the fuse box to OFF and call our dedicated Customer Service Centre on 0345 2000 102.

No electricity at all:• If there is a power cut affecting more than one property call 105 to report it to Northern Power Grid (North East).

Water (burst pipe, flooding or no waterat all)• To stop flooding, turn the mains stop tap off by turning it to the right (clockwise).• If you need to shut off the supply of water to a fitting, such as a toilet or basin, you can use the service valve on the pipe leading to it (if there is one fitted).• Notify us by calling our dedicated Customer Service Centre on 0345 2000 102. • If there is an issue with the water supply to your home call Northumbrian Water on 0800 393 084.

Emergencies– what to do

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Before you report a repair to us, youshould:• check that the repair is not your responsibility, please see page 14.

When you contact us you should let us know:• the details of the item that needs repairing.• details of error codes - if the repair relates to your heating system; and,• any other information you think we may need, including your contact details.

We will discuss the repair with you andtell you:• if the repair is your responsibility; or,• if the repair is our responsibility we will arrange a convenient appointment to do the work and tell you when the repair should be completed.

Making sure your home is kept in goodcondition is a shared responsibility between you and North Tyneside Council.

We will make sure the structure is kept in good condition, but you are responsibleif the structure needs repairing because of damage you have caused. For example if you damage or remove aninternal door.

You are responsible for such things asdecorating, replacing bath plugs or gettinginto your property and changing the locksif you lose your keys.

See page 14 for more information on repair responsibilities.

Before you report a repair

You can report repairs to our dedicatedCustomer Service Centre 24 hours a day,365 days of the year.

Repairs can be reported in several ways:

• Call us on 0345 2000 102

Please note: emergency repairs shouldbe reported this way, so they can be attended to as quickly as possible.

• Email: Repairs@northtyneside.gov.uk

• Visit our website - www.northtyneside.gov.uk

Contacting us

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We are committed to offering an excellentcustomer service to all of our tenants. Our staff or our specialist contractorsworking on our behalf will always be:

ProfessionalWe will provide a professional, high quality service all of the time.

HonestWe will explain clearly what work is required, when it will be undertaken andestimate how long it will take to complete.

TrustworthyWe will respect your privacy.

ReliableWe will carry out what we said we woulddo within the timescale provided.

RespectfulWe will respect your home and your cultural beliefs.

PoliteWe will ensure that we are always politeand courteous.

Clean and tidyWe will work in a clean and efficient manner, removing rubbish as necessary.

SafeWe will work in a safe manner, includingwhilst driving.

Our commitmentto you

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You can help us to organise repairs inseveral ways:

• Write down and remember the location of your gas meter, electricity meter and water stop tap. (You can make a note of this information at the beginning of this booklet).• Keep your repair and / or inspection appointments or let us know in advance if your availability changes.• Treat our staff and contractors as you expect to be treated yourself.• Abusive language or behaviour will not be tolerated under any circumstances and we may refuse to complete the work because of this.• Follow any safety advice and instructions given to you by our staff or contractors.

• Make sure you have adequate home contents insurance cover. We have insurance if something happens to the building, but it is your responsibility to make sure you have insurance for the contents.• Make sure someone over the age of 16 will be at the property for the appointment.• Move delicate or expensive items from where we will need to work so they are not accidentally damaged or broken.• Move your furniture, carpets (or other floor coverings) and belongings from the area, if we have asked you to do so.• Make sure we can carry out the work by keeping pets and children safely away from our working area.• Please don’t smoke in the property whilst one of our technicians is on site.

How you canhelp us?

Home contents insurance

We strongly advise you to take out home contents insurance. This will cover you against damage to your personal belongings, carpets, furniture and otherhousehold items and decorations, including fire or flood damage.

We offer a low cost, pay-as-you-go basic insurance scheme that allows you toclaim the whole cost of the repair or replacement, without paying for the first part of it yourself. For more information call us on 0191 643 2360.

Of course, you can also look for some other scheme yourself, but make sure itcovers broken glass and locks in doors and windows.

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Our Customer Service Centre team willtalk to you about the repair and discusswhat needs to be done. If it is our responsibility, we will arrange for someoneto visit. This will either be our technicianor a contractor working on our behalf.

We may arrange an appointment forsomeone to inspect the repair before anywork is organised. If we need to carry outan inspection, we will advise this whenyou report the repair, and we will arrangea convenient appointment.

Making sure you are at your property forthe appointment will mean the repair isdone on time. If you are unable to keepan appointment, please let us know assoon as possible.

If you are not at home we will leave a cardasking you to contact us.

What happens after you report a repair?

Be safe, check ID cards

All of our maintenance teams and contractors carry an identification card saying who they are. They will show this card when they arriveand explain why they are visiting. If you are unsure,call us on 0191 643 6485 to confirm that they are one of our technicians or contractors before letting them into your home. Anyone who is genuine will be more than happy for you to check.

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To check identity contact0191 643 6485

Employee No.Name:Service Area:

NORTH TYNESIDE COUNCIL

Reporting a repair:

We want to make the process as easy as possible. We will offer:• An online system to report your repairs.• A dedicated Customer Service Centre to report your repairs and deal with any queries during the process. • Access to self-help tools and guidance to enable you to carry out your own repairs, where appropriate.

Appointments:

We want to make sure that you are offered an appointment to suit your needs.We will:• Offer you a suitable morning, afternoon or non-school run appointment to carry out your repair.• Send a confirmation text to you.• Send a reminder text to you in advance of your scheduled repair.• Notify you in advance of our arrival at your property on the day of your repair• Carry out external repairs to your property without an appointment, unless advised not to do so.• Provide some flexibility for operatives to undertake additional minor repairs.• Aim to make another appointment with you before we leave if we are unable to complete the repair on the first visit.

Please note there might be occasionswhen we need to reschedule agreed appointments due to situations beyondour control.

For example, in bad weather we cannotwork at heights as this is a safety risk. If this is the case, we will let you know assoon as possible and reschedule the appointment.

Repair priorities:

We understand that you want a repair tobe completed within a suitable timescale.We will:• Offer three repair categories (emergency, urgent, and routine), to ensure your home is safe, secure and fit to live in.• Tell you how quickly your repair will be carried out.• Make every effort to complete all appointed repairs within 45 working days once it is reported.

Right first time:

We understand that it is important to youthat we complete your repair in one visit.To ensure this we will:• Use diagnostic tools to correctly identify and record your repairs.• Send a technician with the right skills to complete your repair.• Train our technicians so they are multi-skilled.• Use data and feedback to improve the availability of materials on our vans. Please note: stock items will be used during a repair may not be a like for like replacement.

What you can expectfrom us when?

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Improving our service:

We want to ensure that the service staysresponsive to our customers. We will:• Provide you with a repairs handbook outlining essential service information and your rights and responsibilities, as well as ours.

• Collect and measure customer satisfaction about your experiences.

Hands to help serviceOur hands to help service provides support to customers aged over 60 and / orhave a disability carry out smaller repairs or DIY jobs which would normally beyour responsibility. This could include putting up shelves, curtain rails etc.

This service is completely FREE – we’ll provide the labour and bring the tools todo the job. All that we ask is you provide the bulky materials.

Unfortunately, as part of this service we are not able to carry out larger jobs, electrical or gas works, or jobs requiring us to work at height.

If you would like to know more about his service or would like to book a job, pleasecall 0345 2000 102.

Ensuring your home is safe and compliantTo ensure your home is safe and compliant there are some works that we need tocarry out in your home every year.

Responsibility for gas safety:• We are legally responsible for carrying out an annual gas safety check in every property we own that has a gas supply.• You must allow us into your home to carry out these checks. This is for your safety. If you do not allow us in, we will take court action to allow us to enter your home.• You must make sure that air vents do not become blocked.• As part of our annual gas safety check we will also service your smoke alarm and check your CO2 detector if you have one.

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We want to take care of your repairpromptly and effectively. To do this weneed to prioritise all of the repairs by howurgent they are under the Right to Repairscheme.

Not all repairs qualify under the Right toRepair scheme. Qualifying repairs andthe mandated response times are detailed in the table below:

Your right toa repair

Total loss of electrical power An unsafe electrical fittingTotal loss of your water supplyTotal or partial loss of your gas supplyBlocked flue to an open fire or boilerNo heating or hot water (between November 1 and April 30)Leak from a water pipe, tank or cisternBlocked or leaking foul drain, soil stack or toiletToilet not flushing (if there is only one toilet in the property)Insecure external window, door or lockNo heating or hot water (between May 1 and October 31)Partial loss of your water supplyPartial loss of electrical powerBlocked sink, basin or bathA tap that cannot be turnedLoose or detached bannister or handrailRotten timber flooring or stair treadsLeaking roofDoor-entry phone that is not workingMechanical extractor fan that is not working

11111111113333333777

Response time (working days)

Description ofrepair:

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Stage One – complete the repair• You must give us the opportunity to complete the repair within the stated time.

Stage Two – second contractor• If the repair isn't completed within the stated time, you can ask us to get someone else to carry out the work, unless there is a good reason why the work has not been done. • We will order the work with another contractor and send you a copy of the order.• The second contractor will have the same time to complete the repair.

Stage Three – compensation• If the repair is still not completed in time call us on 0345 2000 102.• Unless there is a good reason why the work has not been completed you will receive £10 compensation.

• For every extra day you wait you will receive a further £2, up to a maximum of £50.• If you owe us money, we will deduct this compensation from the amount you owe us.

Stage Four – your Right to Repair• If the second contractor does not complete the work on time, you can get your own suitably qualified contractor to carry it out.• This is known as the Right to Repair.• The total cost of the repair must be less than £250.• It is your right to pass the bill to us and we will pay it.

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The Right to Repair process

In some instances, we deliver larger improvement works as part of a schemeof work. Such schemes include:

• Roofing replacements• Window replacements• Door replacements• Kitchen installations• Bathroom installations• Upgrading to heating systems• Painting – external and communal spaces

If your home is identified as requiring improvement works, we will provide youwith full information 21 days in advance ofany planned works due in your home.

You will be assigned a Customer Liaison Advisor to work with you duringany scheduled works. They will fully explain the planned works process, collect your colour and style choices(where applicable), make sure you arekept up to date with progress, and ensure that all works are deliveredsmoothly and successfully.

Planned improvements to your home

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Making sure your home is kept in good condition is a shared responsibilitybetween North Tyneside Council andyourself.

Which repairs are North TynesideCouncil responsible for?Keeping the outside of the property, the structure and items inside such asbaths and toilets in good condition are

our responsibility. If these need to be repaired because of general ‘wear andtear’, it is our responsibility to ensure theyare fixed.

The table below gives you an example of some of our and your repair responsibilities. More information on your responsibilities will be found in yourTenancy Agreement.

Repairresponsibilities

Who is responsible?Us

Bathrooms:Wooden airing cupboard shelvingInternal pipework boxing – only if we fitted the originalBath panelsCeilings:Plaster ceilingsMinor repairs to plasterwork, such as cracks and small holes(under 50mm square)Artex – removal of after tenancy (charges apply) – we deem Artexto be an unsuitable material for decorationArtex – patching ceilings following any repairsDecoration:Internal decorationHat and coat railsCurtain battensDoors:Door bellDoors adjusted when new carpets fitted

You

Repair responsibilitiesRepair Type

•

•

•••••

•••

••

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Who is responsible?Us

Doors (continued):External structures including doors and gates fitted by you or previous tenantsDoor glazing (damaged or vandalised)Door-entry systemsDoor ventsExternal doors including ironmongeryGaining entry to the property i.e. locked in, locked out, lost keys(charges may apply)Internal doors including ironmongeryDraught-proofing external doorsDrains:Drain blockageKeeping gulley grids clearDrain blockage resulting from misuse (charges may apply)Drains and gulley surroundsGulley gridsInspection chambersSoil vent pipes, including clipsElectrical items:Consumer unit (fuse box)Battery operated smoke alarmsBattery operated carbon monoxide detectorsCooker (unless supplied by NTC)Disconnecting and reconnecting your cooker (unless supplied byNTC)Electric fires (only if supplied by NTC)Electric storage heaters (only if supplied by NTC)Electric meter and supply (contact your metering company)Extractor fansElectric showers (unless supplied by the council)Immersion heaterInternal light bulbs and fluorescent tubes (unless in communal areas)

You

Repair responsibilities Repair Type

•••••••••

• ••••••• •••••• •• •• •

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Who is responsible?Us

Electrical items (continued):Wired smoke alarmsWiring – sockets, light fittings, and switchesExternal items:Clothes posts and/or hooksGarden maintenance (including paving and concrete)Boundary wallsBoundary fencesCouncil owned garages and outbuildingsFront, side and rear gates (if installed by us or with our permission)Hardstandings and gates (if installed by us or with our permission)OutbuildingsPaths –path to front door and 1m around propertySheds, including clearanceCommunal areas – basic maintenanceCommunal areas – lifts and stairsFloors:Laminate floors (lifting and relaying for repairs)Loose floor coverings and carpets (including ceramic floor tiles)Concrete floorsFloorboards and joistsHeating:Bleeding radiatorsGas meter and supply (excluding gas meter box doorsPipeworkRadiators, valves, time clocks, and thermostatsHot-water cylinder jackets (after we have supplied the first one)Kitchen items:Cooker point change – following change of cookerCooker point – either gas or electricCupboard door catches, handles and hingesPlugs:Energy efficiency

You

Repair responsibilities Repair Type

••••••••••••••••••••••

•••

•

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Who is responsible?Us

Plugs (continued):Low energy light bulbsPlumbing:Plugs and chainsRemoving and replacing radiators for decorationRepairing plumbing after decorationShower (unless supplied by the council)Toilet seat and lidWashing machine – connectionRoofs:Aerials, satellite dishes, telephones, and removing cables beforeand after maintenance works Security:Extra door or window locks (not to be fitted to PVCu doors)Walls:Re-grouting when discolouredMinor repairs to plasterwork, such as cracks and small holes(under 50mm square)Windows:Fitting, removing, and adjusting blindsDraught – proofing windows

You

Repair responsibilities Repair Type

••••••••

•••

••

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We are committed to supporting tenantswho may have a disability or mobilityissue to live independently within theirhome. We will work with you and the relevant agencies to ensure that appropriate adaptations are installedwherever possible, so that you can continue to enjoy a good quality of life.

If you think a minor adaptation, such as a handrail or a flashing door bell, wouldmake your life easier, please contact ourAdaptations and Loan Equipment Serviceto discuss this further on 0191 643 7050.

Major adaptations such as a level-accessshower will require specialistguidance from your GP or OccupationalTherapist. We will then work with theseagencies to identify the best solution foryou.

What can I do if I find it difficult to get around my home?

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If you want to carry out any alterations toyour home, you must check with us first.

You must have written permission from us before carrying out any home improvements. We may apply conditionsif they are deemed to make your propertydangerous or unsuitable for future lettingin any way.

You can apply for permission by completing an ‘application for the alteration to council property’ form foundon our website: www.northtyneside.gov.uk

If you do receive permission to carrythese out, you must make sure that nodamage is caused to the property. If damage does occur, you will need toeither have this repaired yourself or payus to do it for you.

If you are removing wallpaper and noticeplastic coming away - stop. Call us on0345 2000 102 to report it. You may alsoneed to get planning permission or building regulation approval for someworks. If you are not sure whether youneed further approvals, please contactthe council’s planning section.

Can I make improvements to my home?

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Other importantinformationCondensationCondensation is when excess moisture inthe air changes to a liquid. It can occuranywhere in your home but often appearsin kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms.You can help prevent and reduce condensation in your home.

Find out more information in our ‘Guide to Reducing Condensation’ in tenant self-help section on our website: www.northtyneside.gov.uk

Rechargeable RepairsYou must take care of your home, insideand out. You must repair any damagecaused by you, your family, visitors orpets. We can carry out these repairs foryou, but you will have to pay the cost todo so.

If a repair has been caused by vandalism,you need to report the incident to the police to get a crime reference numberbefore reporting the repair to us.

If you do not do this, you will be chargedfor the repair.

If a repair in your home is the result of neglect or damage (accidental or otherwise) you will be responsible forputting it right and paying for it. Thisincludes damage caused by your family,as well as pets and visitors.

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Comments, complaints and complimentsWe will always try to provide the best services that we can. If you are not satisfied by the service we have providedplease contact us on 0345 2000 102 oremail repairs@northtyneside.gov.uk andwe will aim to deal with your issue assoon as possible.

If you still feel dissatisfied by the serviceyou have received you can make a formalcomplaint. Please ask for our ‘How tocomplain about council services’ leaflet formore information.

Alternatively, you can visit www.northtyneside.gov.uk and click thecontact us tab to fill out the online complaint form.

We will send out customer satisfactionsurveys to collect and measure your experience of our service. We welcomeyour feedback so please contact us on0345 2000 102 or email:repairs@northtyneside.gov.uk

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Notes

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Tel: 0345 2000 102Email: Repairs@northtyneside.gov.uk

www.northtyneside.gov.uk

NTCouncilTeam