Repairs &
Maintenance
Maintenance
Emergency repairs are:
Timescale: Same day – You or a representative will need to be at home for the rest of the day
What to do if you smell gas If you smell gas:
DO NOT:
DO:
If you have an EMERGENCY repair please call 0850 850 160
General appointed repairs are any repair that is not an emergency such as:
General Gas repairs are any repair that is not an emergency such as:
Timescale: Within 21 working days
Larger works are jobs that take longer to do and sometimes items require replacement rather than a repair:
Timescale: Within 21 working days
Roofing works include:
Timescale: Within 45 working days
If you are having trouble with your electric sockets? Before you report a repair please check the following:
• Have you checked if another appliance works in the same socket?
• Have you checked with your neighbours if there has been a power cut in your area?
• Make sure to check your fusebox. A switch may have tripped that may be causing a power outage. Simply flip the switches back into the correct position
Information on how to care for your boiler can be found in the boiler user guide that you received when you moved in.
If you are experiencing issues with your radiator, be sure to check if you need to bleed the radiator before reporting it as a repair.
As well, take care not to disrupt the pressure of your central heating system. If you are unsure, please report it as a repair to avoid causing damage.
Are you having trouble with your lighting? Before you report a repair, please check the following:
• Have you tried a new light bulb? All the light bulbs in your home can be bought from your local hardware
store. Please note, Great Places do not replace light bulbs and it is your responsibility to do so.
• Make sure to check your fuse box. A faulty lightbulb may have tripped one or all of the circuits, resulting in a lack of power to lights.
If you discover a leak within your home, turn off the water supply using the stop cock before you do anything else. You will have been shown the location of the stop cock when you moved in, however, it is usually located under the sink. Once you have turned the water off, check whether the leak is a major or minor leak and report it as a repair on the customer portal.
Major:
• Burst water mains
• Sewage escape
• Sagging of ceiling
• Blockages (where there is no other toilet available in the property) Please only flush toilet paper
Minor:
• Roof and other water leaks
• Blockages (where you have access to another working toilet)
Please refer to the Guide to Shared Ownership.
Decorating of properties is the tenant’s responsibility. When you move in, we will make sure that the property meets the lettable standard or that you are issued with a decoration box.
If your decoration has been affected as part of the works bdht has completed, you may be entitled to a contribution of materials or a
voucher. Examples are given below:
Staining to ceilings – no plastering required
bdht to stain block the area and supply 5L tin of paint for customer to repaint
Staining to single painted wall – no plastering required
bdht to stain block the area and supply 5L tin of paint for customer to repaint
Large structural works Assessment to be completed at the start of the works in relation to decoration and an agreement made for
either:
• bdht to decorate
• Supply of a decorating voucher
• Supply of materials
• The plan of action will depend upon the tenants needs and choice
Damp works – structural works required
Assessment to be completed at the start of the works in relation to decoration and an agreement made for either:
• bdht to decorate
• Supply of a decorating voucher
• Supply of materials
• The plan of action will depend upon the tenants needs and choice
Mould treatment due to condensation
bdht to treat the area with three part treatment, once the tenant has removed the wallpaper. Redecoration is then tenant’s responsibility
Replaster of complete ceiling
A decoration voucher or materials will be supplied to the customer based upon the size of the affected area
Damage has been caused by trades either failing to complete a repair correctly or accidental damage during works
An agreement will be reached with the customer for either:
• bdht to decorate
• Supply of a decorating voucher
• Supply of materials
• The plan of action will depend upon the tenants needs and choice
Replaster works required, exposed as tenant is decorating
Redecoration will be the tenant’s responsibility
Damage due to tenant’s own fitments, accidental damage by the tenant, wilful damage or breach
of tenancy
Redecoration will be the tenant’s responsibility
Decoration vouchers are based on the following criteria:
Room Size Allowance Rate Per Room
Not exceeding 5 sq m £20.00
5 sq m to 10 sq m £40.00
10 sq m to 15 sq m £60.00
15 sq m to 20 sq m £80.00
Please check your lease agreement. Generally, leaseholders are responsible for any internal repairs and bdht is responsible for works to the block or communal areas.
If something requires repair or replacement because it has broken due to an accident, neglect, vandalism or something that is not fair wear, you will be charged for this repair.
If the repair is an emergency, we will attend to make it safe and confirm the costs after the works have been completed. For nonessential or non-emergency repairs, we will let you know how much the repairs will cost and will ask for payment before the repair is carried out.
If your home is damaged due to a criminal offence, you will need to provide a crime reference number from the police. If you provide us with this and the police agree that the cause is a result of crime, you will not be charged for the work.
What repairs are the responsibility of bdht?
bdht is responsible for the structure of the property and the major
elements within them. This includes:
• The roof
• Outside walls, doors and windows
• Drains, gutters and pipes
• Internal walls, skirting boards and doors
• Major internal plastering
• Access pathways, steps and ramps
• Garage and brick built sheds
• Boundary walls and fences which are next to communal land
• Heating and hot water
To ensure we are managing the repairs service effectively, we review the number of repairs being reported for each property. If a higher than average number of repairs are reported (the average is four per year) we will discuss the reasons for this with you to see if you would benefit from our Repairs MOT Service. This service is where we will arrange a visit every six months for three hours. During the visit, we will carry out any non-emergency repairs that are required, which will save you time in reporting individual repairs. If you would like to be considered for repairs MOT service, please contact the us.
Most repairs are carried out by our own bdht repairs team. The appointment will be booked for the first available slot and agreed with you when you report the repair.
If you have supplied us with a contact number or e-mail address, your appointment will be automatically confirmed. If you would like a confirmation letter, please let the bdht team know.
If you cannot make the appointment, please contact us to rearrange your appointment. If you fail to provide access for essential works, we may have to proceed to court to request an injunction.
The costs for this would be charged to you and are an average of £1,800. We may need to re-arrange your appointment due to weather conditions or due to emergencies. we will give as much notice as is possible in these situations.
Making small changes and adaptations to both new and existing properties can transform the ease-of-use and every day life for our customer. Our Occupational Therapists are on hand to help support the needs of our disabled customers as well as help us plan new sheltered properties.
Our Repairs Operatives are trained to be able to complete a simple need assessment allowing them to complete minor works such as grab rails, without the requirement for a full OT assessment.
Planned maintenance is where we will replace individual elements to your home when due, according to our stock records, such as kitchens, bathrooms, doors, windows and roofs.
We will notify you in advance in writing of any works that have been planned for your property.
We also carry out the following planned works and maintenance
If access is not provided for essential works, we will take legal action through the courts to gain access. All costs will be charged to you. This is approximately £1,800.
These may be rented as part of your property or as a separate agreement. bdht cannot guarantee that garages are watertight and recommend that they are used only for vehicle storage. bdht would not be responsible for any damage to other items stored. Where a garage is beyond repair, bdht may decide to end the garage tenancy and where possible, offer an alternative garage.
Damp is not always caused by condensation. If damp patches on walls leave a ‘tidemark’ this may be a sign of:
Find out more about damp and mould Click HERE
What repairs are you responsible for?
• Repairs to your own belongings
• Replacing locks if you have lost the keys or the cost if we replace them
• Your own appliances including cookers, washing machines, etc
• Any repairs to improvements you have made
• Damage caused by you or your visitors
• Any alteration or upgrade to fixtures and fittings completed by you
• Any items gifted to you
Ventilation in your home includes opening windows, and sometimes specifically engineered systems, which have been designed to work together to provide good quality air flow to maintain a comfortable environment.
It is important to get the balance right to avoid the risk of condensation issues. The following advice will help you to manage condensation.
What is Condensation?
Condensation happens when the moisture in warm air comes into contact with cold surfaces, appearing as tiny droplets of water. Condensation also forms in cold rooms when there is little movement of air, such as behind furniture, in corners and in wardrobes.
What Causes Condensation?
Condensation can be caused by:
What can Condensation do to your Home?
Condensation can cause damp patches, black mould on walls and furniture, mildew on clothes, curtains and other fabrics, and can even damage plasterwork and rot wooden window frames.
Steps to Preventing Condensation:
Produce Less Moisture
Everyday activities create moisture in your home, even breathing!
The following tips will help reduce the amount of moisture you are adding to the air in your home:
Ventilate your Home
Ventilation can help reduce condensation in your home by allowing moist air to escape and drier air to come in from outside.
The following are some ways you can increase the ventilation in your home:
Keep your Home at a Constant Temperature:
Air is like a sponge – the warmer it is, the more moisture it will hold. Heating one room to a high temperature and leaving other rooms cold, may cause condensation in the unheated rooms. It’s better to have a constant medium to high temperature throughout your home
If you are in receipt of Employment & Support Allowance (ESA), Full Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support or Universal Credit, you are entitled to free treatment through www.worcsregservices.gov.uk for:
Visit www.worcsregservices.gov.uk/pest-control for up-to-date information and contact details. If you are not in receipt of benefit, bdht will arrange free treatment for pests that are inside your home. We will not treat for pests located externally. Squirrels are not classed as a pest. If you have squirrels in your loft, bdht will only arrange for any access holes to be filled.
Booklice are a common but harmless insect mainly found outdoors feeding on yeasts, moulds and mildews. They are attracted to warm and damp conditions and can be found in kitchens. Booklice are cream-coloured or light brown and are around 1mm in length and move very quickly.
They are not caused by poor hygiene. They are found where there is with high humidity or where damp is present. Moisture will allow booklice to thrive. Some foods, including flour, naturally contain some moisture and it is here that booklice are likely to increase rapidly in number.
How do I get rid of them?
We recommend that all customers take out contents insurance, to protect personal items and belongings should they become damaged through an accident or incident.