If you are a Secure Tenant, you have the right to have certain small urgent repairs which might affect your health and safety or security carried out to your home under the Right to Repair Regulations 1994. These repairs must be carried out within a certain time.
Under these regulations, if we, or our contractor, do not carry out the repairs listed below within a certain number of working days, you have the right to ask us to ask for a second contractor to carry out the work. This contractor will have the same length of time to complete the work as the original contractor. If the second contractor also fails to carry out the work within target time, you may have the right to compensation. This is subject to the value of the work being less than £250 and that you have allowed reasonable access for the work to be carried out. However, we may offset any sums owed to us (e.g. rent arrears) against any compensation payable under these regulations.
Repair times vary depending on the type of repairs. For example, if your toilet isn't flushing, we have 1 working day to come and repair it. We have 3 working days to refix a loose banister rail and 7 working days to repair a broken extractor fan in a kitchen or bathroom.
You should tell us when repairs need to be done. When you report a repair, we will tell you if it is our responsibility or your own responsibility. Sometimes we may need to send a surveyor first to check the problem. If the repair comes under the Right to Repair scheme, we will tell a contractor to do it in a set time which is based on working days.
NB. A working day does not start until the morning after the repair was reported, and the number of working days excludes weekends and bank holidays.
This is a full list of all the repairs that qualify under this scheme.
- Total loss of electric power
- Partial loss of electric power
- Unsafe power or lighting socket or electrical fitting
- Total loss of water supply
- Partial loss of water supply
- Total or partial loss of gas supply
- Blocked flue to open fire or boiler
- Total or partial loss of space or water heating from 1 November to 30 April.
- Total or partial loss of space or water heating between 30 April to 1 November
- Loss or partial loss of space or water heating where no alternative heating is available.
- Blocked or leaking foul drain, soil stack or toilet pan (when there is no other working toilet in the house)
- Toilet not flushing (when there is no other working WC in the house)
- Blocked sink, bath or basin
- Tap which cannot be turned
- Uncontrollable leaks from a water or heating pipe, tank or cistern
- Insecure external window, door or lock
- Loose or detached banister or hand rail
- Rotten timber flooring or stair tread
- Leaking roof
- Communal door entry system not working.
- Extractor fan in internal kitchen or bathroom not working.
Compensation: If the second contractor doesn't do your repair in time you will get £10 in compensation. For every extra day you wait, you will get another £2. The most compensation that you can get for one job is £50.
You will not be entitled to compensation if you have refused access to a contractor or if the repair is one for which you are responsible for or might have to pay for.
If you feel that you are entitled to compensation under the Right to Repair scheme, you should call us on 0800 915 1600 or visit one of our local area offices and tell us.
If we need to pay you compensation, we will arrange to send you a cheque for the amount we owe you. If you owe us any money, we will deduct the amount from your compensation.
You can download a copy on the right of: A better deal for tenants - your right to repair