What repairs are we responsible for
As a council tenant, you have responsibility for some repairs in your home. If a repair is our responsibility, contact us to book a repair.
Whose responsibility is it?
What needs to be repaired?
As a council tenant, you have responsibility for some repairs in your home. If a repair is our responsibility, contact us to book a repair using the details above.
Who is responsible for repairs?
Most repairs to the outside of your building and the communal areas such as lobbies and lifts are our responsibility.
- In some circumstances, we can also do extra work for tenants aged 60 or over and tenants with certain disabilities.
- You are responsible for repairing broken glass in your windows, replacing broken gully grids on the drains outside your home and repairs to your garden.
- If you are not sure who is responsible for a repair to your home, fill in our Tenants Liability Form (Word) and send it to the address included on the form. We will let you know if you need to pay for the repair.
Doors and windows
You are responsible for:
- internal timber, UPVC or tile windowsills, unless affected by rot or woodworm
- skirting boards and picture rails, unless affected by rot or woodworm
- internal doors (excluding kitchen and bathroom doors), ironmongery, such as letterboxes, and threshold strips, unless affected by rot or woodworm
- internal doors' ironmongery, such as door handles, and threshold strips, unless affected by rot or woodworm
We are responsible for:
- window vents
- window restrictors
- kitchen and bathroom doors (these are fire doors)
Floors
You are responsible for:
- Loose floor coverings and fitted carpets
We are responsible for:
- Concrete floors, not including floor tiles
- Vinyl floor tiles which were fitted by us. Please note we will only do full replacement in bathrooms, toilets and kitchens
- floorboards and joists
Ceilings
You are responsible for:
- Minor repairs to plasterwork, such as cracks and small holes. This covers repairs that are less than six inches or 150mm square
- Please note: we may be able to fix minor repairs if you are aged 60 or over or have certain disabilities
We are responsible for:
- Major plasterwork
Bathroom
You are responsible for:
- Bath panels, unless we damaged them while doing other repairs. Replacements may not match existing panels
- Wooden airing cupboard panels, frames, doors and shelving, unless affected by woodworm or rot
- Internal pipework boxing, but only if we originally fitted it
Kitchens
You are responsible for:
- Cupboard drawers
- Cupboard door catches, handles and hinges
We are responsible for:
- Kitchen cupboards. We will replace cupboards that are beyond repair. They may not match existing units
- Worktops. We will replace worktops that are beyond repair due to normal wear and tear. They may not match existing units
Hallways, doors and staircases
You are responsible for:
- Hat and coat rails
We are responsible for:
- Light switches
- Staircases, banisters and handrails
Plumbing
You are responsible for:
- Fixing toilet seats
We are responsible for:
- Water service pipes, overflow pipes and water tanks
- Blocked sink, bath and hand basin waste pipes
- Blocked toilet the first time it happens. Subsequent blockages must be dealt with by you unless the drain is faulty
- Taps, stop cocks, and wheel valves
- Sink unit
- Wash hand basin
- Toilet flushing systems
- Bath or shower tray
- Plugs and chains
- Shower, if we own it
- Seal between the bath or sink unit and tiles
Internal decoration
You are responsible for:
- Decorating in all internal rooms
Alarms
We are responsible for:
- Smoke alarms we fitted
- Carbon monoxide alarms
Home security
You are responsible for:
- Extra door and window locks
- Security door chains and spyholes
Energy efficiency
You are responsible for:
- Draught proofing to windows, unless it is part of the frame design
- Draught proofing to external doors, unless it is part of the frame design
- Separate hot-water cylinder jackets, after we have supplied the first one
- Low-energy light bulbs
