R epa i rs
Contents Reporting your repair...3 Repair categories...5 All about your repairs...9 Planning ahead...18
Reporting your repair How to report a repair You can report a repair in a number of different ways: By phone Call our dedicated Repairs Contact Centre on 08082 306500. Itʼs free to call this number from a landline but charges from mobiles may vary. You can also use the free courtesy phone at your housing office. A dedicated text line is available for deaf people or those who are hard of hearing on 07899 848886. The Contact Centre opening hours are 7am 5pm Monday to Friday. Outside these hours, your call will be diverted to our on-call service who will direct your emergency repair to one of our on-call repair operatives. In person Go to your local housing office or speak to any Plymouth Community Homes member of staff. By letter Write to: Plumer House Tailyour Road Crownhill Plymouth PL6 5HY Via the internet Visit our website: www.plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk and go to the Your Home section, then the Repairs section, where you will find further advice and an online reporting tool. At your tenantsʼ and residentsʼ association Attend any tenant involvement meeting and raise your concern with Plymouth Community Homes staff. When you have reported your repair, you will be given an appointment time that is convenient to you. PCH Service Information Centre Please feel free to pop into our new service information centre, where you are welcome to discuss any repair with the local staff or just to use the direct dial phones to contact our Responsive Repairs Centre. We are situated: 16-18 Frankfort Gate Plymouth PL1 1QD 3
Appointment times Monday Friday (excluding Bank Holidays): Morning appointment...8am to 1pm Afternoon appointment...1pm to 5pm Avoid the school run appointment...10am to 2.30pm All-day appointment...8am to 5pm By special arrangement, you can also make one of the following appointments: Evenings...5pm to 8pm Saturdays...9.30am to 12pm If you miss an evening or Saturday appointment, you may be charged. Emergencies If you have an emergency during normal working hours, please contact our Repairs Contact Centre on 08082 306500. Outside normal working hours including Bank Holidays, please call our out-ofhours service on 0800 917 9459. A duty on-call officer will arrange to carry out an emergency repair, if required, until a full repair can be arranged. The repair will be completed during normal working hours. What information do you need to provide? Your name and address When you can provide access to your home so an appointment can be made that is convenient to yourself and our operatives A daytime phone number and a mobile phone number so that we can contact you if we need to rearrange an inspection or repair As much information about the repair as possible so we can arrange for the most suitable tradesperson to attend. Please see the Repairs section on our website www.plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk for more information. How long will it take? Although it is not always possible for us to attend on the day that you report the repair, we make sure that urgent work is prioritised. We will carry out repairs within the appropriate timescale according to the urgency of the work (as set out in the Repair Categories section on pages 5-8). 4
Repair categories Emergency repairs Emergency repairs are those needed to avoid serious health or safety risks, or serious structural damage. They also include repairs to ensure your home is secure. We aim to respond to emergency repairs within four hours, but we will guarantee to be there within 24 hours. You will need to provide access to your home if it is required to undertake the repair. Our emergency service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We make sure emergency repairs are made safe and, if possible, completed within 24 hours. After the repair has been made safe, further less urgent work may be carried out under a longer timescale. Heating and hot water repairs Loss of heating and hot water between 1 November and 30 April will be responded to as urgent within one working day. Loss of heating and hot water between 1 May and 31 October will be responded to as an urgent repair within three working days. NB: If the severity of a repair is exaggerated to get a quicker response, the tenant may be charged the cost of an emergency call-out. For gas and heating breakdowns, we will provide an out of hours emergency service if there is: an elderly, disabled or otherwise vulnerable person (such as a baby) living in the property no other form of heat in the property e.g. if a boiler fails and there is no gas or electric fire in the property. If your hot water fails, we will not respond as an emergency unless there is a specific health requirement. If a boiler cannot be repaired, temporary electric fan heaters will be provided. 5
Urgent repairs Urgent repairs are those that, if not repaired, will cause substantial discomfort to the tenant and/or potential damage to the property, but they are not a health and safety risk. They include: partial loss of electrical power partial or disturbed supply of water partial loss of heating door entry phone not working leaking roof faulty extractor fan blocked sink, bath or basin water leak from pipes, tank or cistern in severe cases, this may be classed as an emergency tap which cannot be turned on or off loose or detached banister or hand rail rotten timber flooring or stair tread. 6 We will complete all urgent repairs within three working days of the repair being reported. During winter months we will complete all heating and hot water repairs within one working day. When you report your repair, our Repairs Contact Centre will give you an appointment time that is convenient to you. NB: If the severity of a repair is exaggerated to get a quicker response, the tenant may be charged the cost of a call-out.
Routine repairs Routine repairs include: general joinery repairs repairs to doors, windows and floors repairs to external walls, fences and paths repairs to walls, brickwork, slates or tiles repairs or clearing of gutters and downpipes (weather depending) repairs to kitchen fittings repairs to plaster work dripping or leaking taps or shower units other minor plumbing repairs repairs to tiling easing jammed or sticking windows and doors other minor day-to-day repairs or replacements. Under safety regulations, we also have a responsibility to maintain the following, which are classed as routine repairs: water services from the meter or outside stopcock the internal structure including walls, ceilings and floors internal and external components such as windows, doors, fitted cupboards etc. fixtures and fittings provided by Plymouth Community Homes any outbuilding that forms part of your property and is owned by Plymouth Community Homes original paths to main entrance doors communal areas in blocks of flats and housing developments, or roads and footpaths which belong to Plymouth Community Homes. We normally carry out routine repairs within 20 working days. We will offer you either a morning or an afternoon appointment, an avoid-the-school run appointment or an all-day appointment all of which will usually be on a weekday (see page 4 for more information about appointment times). 7
Planned repairs Planned repairs will be carried out within 60 working days (12 weeks) of your request unless they are classed as programmed works under our ʻDecent Homes improvement worksʼ. They are larger repairs that are not urgent, and may need to be planned outside the timescales already described. For planned repairs, we will appoint a repairs supervisor to keep you informed of the progress of the repair work. Typical planned repairs include: outside rendering fencing, gate and path repairs or the manufacturing of replacement items internal plastering and redecorating sourcing and ordering of old or hard to obtain materials to enable the repair to be completed replacement of windows and doors. 8 Programmed work Programmed work includes large refurbishment works across many properties such as the renewal of kitchens and bathrooms, replacement of PVCu windows and doors, heating installations, electrical upgrades or rewiring, and home insulation. Please see the Planning Ahead section on page 18 for more details.
All about your repairs Appointments for repairs When you report a routine repair, we will generally give you a weekday morning or afternoon appointment. We can also offer appointment times to avoid the school run, depending on how long your repair will take. Text message alerts When you call the contact centre to book in a repair, we will ask you if you would like to receive texts about your appointment. If you agree, we will send you a text message to confirm the appointment. We will also send a reminder at 3pm the day before the appointment and another text when the operative is on their way, giving you their name and trade. After the work has been carried out, we will text you to ask if you were happy with the service provided. By using this service you will receive automated texts to make sure you are aware of your appointment times and when our operative is on his way to you. Appointments can also be made for selected evenings up to 8pm and for Saturdays between 9.30am and 12pm. However, if you do not keep evening or Saturday appointments, we may charge you for them. These appointment times are only for minor repairs that can be completed in one visit. If you are out at the time of your appointment, our operative will leave you a card advising you that the job has been cancelled and you will need to make a new appointment. Depending on the type of repair reported, we might need to send a supervisor to carry out a pre-inspection to confirm what kind of repair is required. When you report a repair, we will advise you about its priority in line with our repairs policy. We will make every effort to carry out your repair within the given timescale. 9
No Access If on arrival at the premises, the contractor supervisor or operative finds that you are out, a notification/calling card is left advising that the job will be cancelled and you will need to make another appointment. If the supervisor or operative is not satisfied that the reported fault or repair will cause further damage to Plymouth Community Homesʼ property or it is a Health and Safety risk, then the job will be referred to the admin team to attempt to make a further appointment. Tenants will be recharged for items that have been specifically purchased and cannot be returned to the supplier or specifically manufactured, in the event that access cannot be gained to the property after six months. Missed appointments Missed appointments are currently wasting Plymouth Community Homes 140,000 a year. If you are unable to keep an appointment for whatever reason, please contact the repairs contact centre where an alternative appointment can be made. Remember to register your mobile number for text alerts. Identification All Plymouth Community Homes employees and all our contractors carry a photographic ID card which is available on request. If they refuse to show you their ID card or they do not have an ID card, do not let them into your home. Please inform the contact centre immediately. If you require further security measures or if you are a woman living alone or you are elderly, please ask the contact centre for a special code word that only the repairs team will know when they attend. Smoking Second-hand smoke or passive smoking is harmful to peopleʼs health. As a responsible employer, we have a duty of care to protect the health of our employees. Therefore, we ask you to do everything possible to keep your home free from smoke when we visit you. Female operatives If you are a female tenant and would prefer a female operative to attend, please inform the Repairs Contact Centre at the time of reporting the repair, and we will make every effort to help. If a female operative is not available, we can arrange for a female member of staff to accompany the operative. 10
Young people Our operatives and contractors will not carry out any repairs if the only person at home when they arrive is a child under the age of 16. They will leave a card advising you that the repair has been cancelled and that you will need to make a new appointment. Response times Plymouth Community Homes sets time limits for different types of repairs (see the Repairs Categories section on pages 5-8 for more details). We monitor the performance of our employees and contractors to ensure they meet these time limits. When you report your repair, you will be advised how long it will take to complete the repair. We will make every effort to complete it within the timescale that we have given. Our aim is to attend promptly, maintain a safe environment and complete the work as soon as is practically possible. Access to your home In your tenancy agreement, you have agreed to allow Plymouth Community Homes staff or contractors to enter your property to inspect, maintain and/or make repairs. You may wish to provide your housing office with an emergency contact number (a mobile is best) or contact details of a key holder to ensure we can access your home if necessary. Customer choice Plymouth Community Homes is committed to offering you choice in our repairs and improvements service, wherever reasonably possible. However, when we carry out responsive repairs, we normally replace fixtures and fittings on a like-for-like basis. We also take into account your circumstances and needs when we decide on a response time for the repair. We will carry out repairs more quickly where: your sense of security is affected your mobility is affected the health and safety of young children is affected in some cases, your home would be without heating in winter. 11
The service you can expect from us: 1. We will keep your home in good condition. We will repair and maintain: the structure and exterior of the building roofs, walls, floors, ceilings, window frames, external doors, drains, gutters, outside pipes kitchen and bathroom fixtures basins, sinks, toilets, baths electrical wiring and gas and water pipes heating equipment and water heating equipment any communal areas around your home stairs, lifts, landings, lighting, entrance halls, paving, shared gardens, parking areas and rubbish chutes. 2. We will maintain external paintwork at regular intervals. 3. We will complete repairs in a reasonable time. When you report a repair, we will tell you when we will complete the work by (this depends on how urgent it is) and if it will need to be inspected. 4. We will clear up after a repair and leave your decoration as close as possible to how it was before the repair was done. However, if redecoration is necessary, we may offer you a voucher to pay for it. 5. We will send you written confirmation of the repair appointment that has been made unless the work is an emergency or the appointment is within five days of the repair being reported. 6. We will send you a confirmation text of your appointment, text you at 3pm the day before your appointment and remind you once again when the tradesperson is on their way, and let you know his or her name. 7. Tenants have the right to get repairs done on time and within the timescales set out on pages 5 to 8. However, if you want to agree a repair outside these timescales, you are entitled to do so. 8. When carrying out gas safety checks in homes, Plymouth Community Homes will disconnect any unsafe gas appliances. 12
Repairs which are your responsibility (these are general repairs which are not covered by Plymouth Community Homes): Alteration of doors after new carpets have been fitted. All appliances, fixtures, fittings, extensions and additions that have been installed by you with or without our permission unless they have been formally adopted by Plymouth Community Homes. Replacement of lost or damaged door and window keys, including the cost of breaking in and associated repairs, and the replacement of locks and duplicate keys. Filling small cracks in the plaster. Replacing without delay any cracked or broken glass unless the breakage can be shown to be due to structural or constructional causes, or criminal damage, and caused by someone other than yourself or members of your family. The repair and replacement of TV aerials or satellite dishes (unless communal), and any damage to property or neighbouring property caused by their installation. All cat flaps fitted in either wooden or upvc doors including new replacement upvc doors or fire doors. The plumbing in of domestic appliances and any faults that subsequently arise with this plumbing. The repair and replacement of toilet seats and lids unless the tenant is disabled. The replacement of light bulbs and fluorescent tubes. The replacement of bath, basin and sink plugs. The repair or replacement of your own shed, porch, conservatory or other external addition. Any internal decorations, which should be in good order when you leave the property. All repairs required when vacating the property. Sweeping of chimneys. Any damage to the property caused by fire or flood that results from neglect to the property by a tenant or family member. The lifting of all foam-backed carpets and/or laminated wood flooring to gain access to carry out a repair. The repair or replacement of anything belonging to Plymouth Community Homes which is damaged or made defective through your action or neglect, or that of your visitors or anyone living with you. For example, drains blocked by kitchen waste, external gully grids blocked by leaves and debris, or damage caused by your appliances such as cookers. NB: You should consider very carefully the amount of contents insurance you have. 13
Problems with repairs Most repairs are completed within the timescale given according to the urgency of your repair. However, if the operative or contractor does not attend as promised, please call our contact centre and let them know. Your appointed supervisor will do their best to arrange for the work to be completed within a reasonable timescale. If you are not satisfied with any aspect of the repair work, or the attitude of the operative or contractor, please call the contact centre. We are here to sort out any problems for you. If an operative or contractor calls and you are not at home, he will leave a card saying, ʻSorry I missed youʼ. If you receive one of these, please call the contact centre straight away to enable us to make an alternative appointment as your job will be cancelled otherwise. 14 Customer satisfaction We aim to deliver a high standard of service to our customers and, therefore, we continually monitor customer satisfaction with repairs. When a repair is completed, our Repairs Contact Centre will either contact you by phone or send you a survey form on the back of a letter. If you tell us you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service, we will arrange an appointment for a supervisor to visit you to identify and arrange for any outstanding problems to be resolved. Plymouth Community Homes regularly measures levels of customer satisfaction and is benchmarked against other housing associations throughout the UK.
Complaints and feedback If you are not happy with a repair, please let the contact centre know. We are also pleased to pass on any positive feedback to staff. If you want to make a formal complaint, please refer to the viewpoints leaflet in your tenantsʼ handbook or go to our website: www.plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk. Rechargeable repairs Under the terms of your tenancy agreement, you have a responsibility to look after your home. In certain circumstances, Plymouth Community Homes will give you 28 days to remedy a problem or repair to an acceptable standard. If you fail to do so, we will carry out the work and recharge you for the costs of that repair. This includes: a repair that is required due to deliberate damage or neglect failure to carry out a repair that you are responsible for alterations that have been carried out by you without prior permission. NB: If you exaggerate the severity of a repair to get a quicker response, you may be charged the cost of a call-out. In certain cases, where accidental damage occurs, tenants may be able to claim on their home contents insurance policy (a low-cost scheme is operated by Plymouth Community Homes). See the Home Contents Insurance Scheme leaflet for more information. If we do have to complete a repair that we then charge you for, we will issue an invoice on completion. If you are unable to pay the cost in full, you will need to contact your housing office to agree a payment plan. 15
Repairs and maintenance service standards: We will provide a 24-hour emergency response repairs service to all our tenants, 365 days a year. You may report your repairs by telephone via our Repairs Contact Centre, by post, in person at the housing office or via our website www.plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk. All employees and contractors must follow our customer care policy and comply with our code of conduct. We and our contractors will introduce ourselves and show proof of ID. We will not continue to enter the property if only a child under the age of 16 is at home. Our repairs service will, as a minimum, comply with all the requirements of the law. When we have to inspect a repair after completion, we will let you know and will make the inspection within ten working days. We will complete emergency repairs within 24 hours. Loss of heating and hot water between 1 November and 30 April will be responded to as an urgent repair within one working day. We will respond to all other urgent repairs within three working days. We will respond to all routine repairs within 20 working days. We will complete larger repairs within 60 working days, and appoint a repairs supervisor to monitor the situation and keep you informed. 16
We offer an appointment system for emergency, urgent and routine repairs and, when required, for pre-inspections and post-repair quality inspections. If we can t attend the allocated appointment time, we will let you know. If you are out when we call to make the repair, we will leave you a calling card. If you suspect a gas leak or leakage of fumes, contact the National Gas Emergency Service first on 0800 111 999 then inform our contact centre. We will notify you about your annual gas service at least five days in advance. When we have finished a repair, we will leave your home as clean and tidy as when we arrived. We will carry out customer satisfaction surveys and learn from the feedback so we can improve our repairs service. If we or any of our contractors damage your home or possessions, you will be compensated for the damage or loss in line with our tenants compensation and payment policy. We will acknowledge any complaint within two working days and provide a full response within ten working days. 17
Planning ahead Planned maintenance and improvements Repair work that is carried out to keep properties in good order, or to replace old fixtures and fittings, is carried out as part of a planned programme to make it more cost effective. Examples of this work may include: external repairs prior to a painting contract heating installation or upgrade insulation to properties window and door replacement electrical rewiring. For very small adaptations, you can now request them directly through PCHʼs On Demand Service by calling 0800 988 7344. For more information about adaptations, please visit our website: www.plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk or call our Housing Choices team on 0800 694 3101. When you report a repair that is scheduled to be carried out as part of a planned programme, our contact centre will advise you when it will take place. Before we start work, we will write to you with details of the work and the contractor, and who to contact for further information. Adaptations for elderly and disabled tenants In special circumstances, we can adapt a property to help elderly or physically disabled tenants live independently in their homes. Adaptations can include: a level access shower unit a stair lift external ramps a door entry system grab rails external handrails bath and shower seats and stools. 18
Translations This guide is available in large print, Braille, alternative languages and as a recording. If you wish to arrange for an alternative version, please call the Repairs Contact Centre on 0808 230 6500. 19
Plymouth Community Homes Princess Court 23 Princess Street Plymouth PL1 2EX Telephone: 0800 694 3101 Email: info@plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk Web: www.plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk REPAIRS FREEPHONE 0808 230 6500 A charitable industrial and provident society. Registration Number 30637R