Housing Repairs and Maintenance

Repairs

1. What can I expect from the Council’s repair service?
2. What is the Council responsible for repairing in my home?
3. What day to day repairs am I responsible for in my home?
4. How do I report a repair to the Council?
5. Is there anything I need to do before reporting a repair?
6. What will happen when I have reported a repair?
7. What happens if I, or a visitor to my home, damage any fixtures or fittings?

Keeping homes in a good state of repair is a two way responsibility between the Council and our customers. Please remember that the property you occupy will be available for future lettings when your tenancy ends.

You have a responsibility to occupy it in such a way as to keep maintenance costs down to a minimum.

Please report repairs to the Council as soon as you find or notice any problems.

1. What can I expect from the Council’s repair service?

Our 10 Promises to you – We will:

• Ensure that your belongings are removed from the work area before starting work
• Remove waste materials and tools not in use whilst working to prevent any damage to your property and to ensure your safety
• Clear up all our tools and equipment when work is finished and clean up the work area
• Use dust sheets at all times to protect your belongings
• Not smoke in your home
• Explain the nature of the repair we have come to address
• Explain the operating procedure for new or replaced equipment when installed
• Wear and show our identity badge at all times when working
• Be polite and courteous at all times and tell you what we are doing and why
• Work within trade safety standards at all times

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2. What is the Council responsible for repairing in my home?

External

• Roof
• Chimney (not including sweeping)
• Gutters and rainwater goods
• Walls
• Outside doors and frames
• Windows
• Painting

Internal

• Fitted cupboards
• Ceilings
• Walls (not including decoration)

Other external parts

• Steps and paths
• Drainage
• Boundary walls
• Garages and outhouses (if constructed by the Council)

The Council is responsible for some services & fittings in your home, these include:-

• Electrical fittings and wiring (if supplied by the Council)
• Gas installations (if supplied or agreed to be maintained by the Council)
• Heating appliances (if supplied by the Council)
• Plumbing installations (but not blocked sinks)

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3. What day to day repairs am I responsible for in my home?

• Glass - All glazing is the responsibility of the tenant. If any glass is broken, even if it is by accident, it is your responsibility to get it replaced. The Council will only replace glass if the damage was caused by criminal activity, the matter has been reported to the Police and a crime reference obtained.
• Security - Key and locks, unless the Council agrees to replace due to fair wear and tear
• Sanitary installations
• Plugs and Chains to sinks, baths & basins*
• Blocked internal pipes and traps
• Toilet seats and covers*
• Electrical installations
• Sockets, switches, fuses, all fittings and appliances if not provided as standard by the Council
• Renewal of fuses
• Solid fuel fires
• Cleaning ash pans and throat plates
• Internal fittings e.g. easing internal doors, curtain rails, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes and starters, roller blinds, shelving, locks, hinges, hooks, etc
• Internal Decoration
• Wall and Floor Tiles*
• External fittings  e.g. rotary driers and clothes lines
• Fencing between gardens*
• Garden paths and garden sheds

*materials may be available for the identified items at the discretion of the Council.

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4. How do I report a repair to the Council?

• Phone Housing Repairs on 0800 085 6622 or our Contact Centre on 01437 764551 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday

• Call in at a Customer Services Centre located at Haverfordwest, Pembroke Dock, Milford Haven and Fishguard, or Neyland

• E-mail building.maintenance@pembrokeshire.gov.uk

• Write to Pembrokeshire County Council, Maintenance Department, Unit 23, Thornton Industrial Trading Estate, Milford Haven, SA73 2RR

Out of hours emergencies can be reported by phoning 01437 775522

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5. Is there anything I need to do before reporting a repair?

Please follow these guidelines:

• Check the table above (what day to day repairs am I responsible for?) to make sure that you are not responsible for carrying out the repair.
• Make sure that you have your contact details before calling
• Know when you will be available for us to call and carry out the repair
• Have as much detail as possible about the repair – the more we know about the problem the quicker we can order it – we may not even have to inspect it first.

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6. What will happen when I have reported a repair?

After finding out when you are available to carry out the repair, the Council will place it into one of the following three categories.

Category	Example	Target Time
Emergency Repairs These are initial repairs to make safe and repair where there is a risk of danger to persons and/or serious damage to the property	Burst water pipes, total electrical failure, gas faults, severe roof leak. Note: Tenants are expected to know the location of the Water Stopcock, Gas Meter and Electrical Fuse Box so that in an emergency you can isolate these services.	24 hours
Urgent Repairs There are essential/urgent works which do NOT cause an immediate risk to persons or property.	Faulty hot water, electrical faults, storm damage, leaking pipes.	9 days
Routine Repairs General day to day repair work which is NOT Emergency or Urgent.	Renewing a skirting board, fitting new doors on a kitchen unit, repairing faulty water taps.	35 days

The Repair procedure

If a repair is straightforward an order will be placed immediately.

In some cases it will be necessary for an inspection to be carried out to gather more detail about what is needed before an order is placed.

If you are out when either a housing officer or a workman calls, a card will be left advising when a further visit will be made or giving instructions on how to arrange a date to suit yourself. If no response is received within 7 days the repair request will be cancelled.

If a call is made and the problem is found to be as a result of work carried out by persons other than the Council or its representatives, e.g. defective plumbing or washing machines, a charge will be made for the work.

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7. What happens if I, or a visitor to my home, damage any fixtures or fittings?

Repairs which are needed in your home because of deliberate or persistent accidental damage, caused by yourself, a member of your household or a visitor to your home may be designated as a ‘re-chargeable repair’. This includes replacing locks if you loose your keys or repairing damage to fixtures or fittings like doors or windows. You will either need to carry out these repairs yourself at your own cost or you can ask the Council to carry out the work at your expense. The Council will ask for this payment before any work is carried out.

Damage caused as a result of vandalism

If damage is caused to your property as a result of vandalism please contact the police and get an incident number before you report the repair to the Council.