Who is responsible for your repair?
As part of our contract with our tenants, the Adults and Housing department has a responsibility to carry out certain repairs to tenants' homes. Other repairs are the responsibility of the tenant.
The different sorts of repair are listed below, showing who is responsible for them and whether materials are available from the local Tenants' Association.
City Council responsibility
The Adults and Housing department is responsible for replacing or repairing items that were part of the premises when a tenancy started if they are damaged through normal wear and tear. The work is done at no extra cost to the tenant living in that property.
If the property has been changed in any way by the previous tenant, the new tenant will be asked to take on responsibility for maintaining the alterations or additional items.
If items listed under tenants' responsibilities are damaged as the result of a repair by one of our workers they will be repaired by Housing at no cost to the tenant.
Structural repairs
Housing is responsible for the main structure of our properties.
We will repair major items such as:
The different sorts of repair are listed below, showing who is responsible for them and whether materials are available from the local Tenants' Association.
City Council responsibility
The Adults and Housing department is responsible for replacing or repairing items that were part of the premises when a tenancy started if they are damaged through normal wear and tear. The work is done at no extra cost to the tenant living in that property.
If the property has been changed in any way by the previous tenant, the new tenant will be asked to take on responsibility for maintaining the alterations or additional items.
If items listed under tenants' responsibilities are damaged as the result of a repair by one of our workers they will be repaired by Housing at no cost to the tenant.
Structural repairs
Housing is responsible for the main structure of our properties.
We will repair major items such as:
- Foundations
- External walls, doors and door frames
- Window frames
- Roofs
- Gutters and rain-water pipes
- Drainage
- Water services
- Electrical services
- Gas services
- Central heating and hot water systems
- Communal areas (such as lifts and stairs) in multi-occupied buildings.
Frost damage
The City Council is responsible for insulating the tanks and pipework in the loft of your property against frost.
Council tenants are responsible for making sure that outside toilets are properly protected during the winter, and for taking other normal precautions around your home during cold weather.
For example:
Leaving the plugs in sinks and handbasins
Making sure there are no dripping taps
Sprinkling salt in the pan of outside toilets
Keeping some background heating on.
The City Council is not responsible for any repair or replacement caused by tenants' neglect during cold weather.
As a council tenant, if you are going on holiday during the winter you can ask the council to drain down your hot and cold water systems, so they cannot freeze up. Phone the repairs call centre on (0116) 252 7007 to book this free service.
Communal areas
Housing will inspect the communal areas of blocks of maisonettes and flats every five years, and will decorate them when necessary.
Tenants’ responsibility
Tenants are responsible for other more minor repairs and replacements. They are also responsible for putting right any damage that they have caused themselves.
The city council is not responsible for:
Damage not due to normal wear and tear.
The repair or replacement of anything that has been installed or fitted in the property by the current tenant without the written consent of the Director of Adults and Housing.
The repair or replacement of anything installed or fitted by a previous tenant if you exchange into that property.
Making good any internal decoration affected by improvement or repairs work, unless agreed with the Director of Adults and Housing in writing, in advance.
Vinyl flooring
If your bathroom has been improved, you may have a vinyl floor covering to the complete bathroom floor area. If this is the case, it is important that the flooring is protected from sharp objects that may cut the floor and allow water to leak through to the floor below.
Also the flooring must be protected from hot objects such as cigarettes, which can burn a hole in the flooring causing leaks.
The flooring should not be painted, sealed or polished, a loose carpet or mat can be laid on top of the flooring but fitted carpets should not be laid as this will also damage the floor.
What if tenant’s repairs are not done?
If tenants do not carry out the repair or replacement work they are responsible for, the City Council may send an official notification, asking them to carry out the work within a reasonable period of time. Under the tenancy agreement tenants should comply with the notification and carry out the work.
If they still do not comply, the city council may, after a reasonable period, enter the premises and do the work. The tenant would then be charged with the cost, including any administrative expenses that may be involved.
Who pays?
Repair work that is the responsibility of the City Council is paid for through rent. Obviously, the more repairs are needed means less money is left from rents to pay for modernisation work.
Repairs and replacements not caused by normal wear and tear are the responsibility of the tenant. Tenants have to either do the work themselves or pay a contractor to do it.
Tenants may be able to claim for accidental damage through their own household insurance.
For some repairs and replacements tenants can also pay the Adults and Housing department to do the work on their behalf.
Vandalism and neglect
The City Council is not responsible for any repair or replacement needed as a result of any action or neglect by the tenant. This includes not just the tenant and their family, but also any sub-tenant, other member of the household, visitor or pets.
If damage by vandals has been reported to the police, the city council will normally accept responsibility for the repairs, once we have been given the incident number issued by the police.
It is in all our tenants' interests to try to prevent vandalism on any property and report offenders to the police, since in the end the costs of repairs are met through rents.
If you would prefer not to report vandalism or any other crime directly to the police, use the Crimestoppers service (telephone 0800 555 111). Your call will be free and you do not have to give your name.
What if tenant’s repairs are not done?
If tenants do not carry out the repair or replacement work they are responsible for, the City Council may send an official notification, asking them to carry out the work within a reasonable period of time. Under the tenancy agreement tenants should comply with the notification and carry out the work.
If they still do not comply, the city council may, after a reasonable period, enter the premises and do the work. The tenant would then be charged with the cost, including any administrative expenses that may be involved.
Who pays?
Repair work that is the responsibility of the City Council is paid for through rent. Obviously, the more repairs are needed means less money is left from rents to pay for modernisation work.
Repairs and replacements not caused by normal wear and tear are the responsibility of the tenant. Tenants have to either do the work themselves or pay a contractor to do it.
Tenants may be able to claim for accidental damage through their own household insurance.
For some repairs and replacements tenants can also pay the Adults and Housing department to do the work on their behalf.
Vandalism and neglect
The City Council is not responsible for any repair or replacement needed as a result of any action or neglect by the tenant. This includes not just the tenant and their family, but also any sub-tenant, other member of the household, visitor or pets.
If damage by vandals has been reported to the police, the city council will normally accept responsibility for the repairs, once we have been given the incident number issued by the police.
It is in all our tenants' interests to try to prevent vandalism on any property and report offenders to the police, since in the end the costs of repairs are met through rents.
If you would prefer not to report vandalism or any other crime directly to the police, use the Crimestoppers service (telephone 0800 555 111). Your call will be free and you do not have to give your name.
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