Repairs
Your Services
This leaflet explains the
level of service you can
expect from us and what
you should do if you need
to request a repair.
You can request a repair in the following ways:
• Request a repair online at www.citywesthousingtrust.org.uk
Our easy to use online repair tool sends an email straight to the Service Centre. Repair requests via the online repair tool are dealt with during office working hours, Monday to Friday
• Call 0300 123 5522 at anytime. Our Service Centre is open from 8am until 6.30pm Monday to Friday and from 8am until 12 noon on Saturdays. Outside of these times our ‘out of hours’ team will deal with emergencies
• Visit your local area office and use the freephone in reception or use the Customer Information Point
Depending what your repair is, repairs will be completed by our in-house team within the time frames published overleaf.
iHousing gives you access to track any reported repairs through our website. If you are named on the Tenancy Agreement and have a valid email address then you can register by contacting us on 0300 123 5522, alternatively you can email hello@citywest.org.uk.
All City West staff are required to wear identification when visiting your home. Make sure you ask to see it if it’s not on display. It will have their name, job title and photograph on it. If you have any doubts, contact us on 0300 123 5522 and we’ll be able to confirm if they are genuine.
Right first time repairs
When you request a repair please give us as much detail as possible. We can then effectively plan enough time to complete the work, and make sure we bring the correct tools on the first visit. We want to provide an excellent customer experience and reduce the time needed to complete a repair. Our aim is to complete repairs in one visit, however some jobs by their nature will require more than one visit. In these
instances, we will advise you how many additional visits are required.
Cancel it, don’t forget it!
Emergency Repairs
Within 3 hours if a serious emergency, such as
risk to safety or damage to the property -
24 hours for other emergencies
These are usually repairs that, if left undone would be a danger to residents or the general public, or could cause damage to the property. Sometimes we may not be able to completely fix the problem, but we will always make it safe within 24 hours.
Examples of this type of repair could be gas leaks*, hazardous electrical faults, major water leaks or bursts, or where there are security concerns.
Urgent Repairs
Within right to repair legislation - one, three or
seven working days
These are repairs that can cause disruption in a home, repairs which might affect your health, safety or security and which need to be done quickly and easily.
Examples of this type of repair could be unsafe power or lighting
sockets or electrical fittings, part loss of electric power, part loss of gas supply, unsecured external door or a blocked wash hand basin or bath.
Routine Repairs
Within ten working days
These are fairly routine repairs that, if left for a long period of time could get worse and may cause further damage to the property or become a hazard.
Examples of this type of repair could be a loose wash hand basin, loose taps, faulty guttering, minor plumbing repairs or internal joinery works.
Planned Repairs
Within 21 working days
These repairs present no immediate threat to personal safety or the structure of the home, like the replacement of a worn out fixture or fitting.
Examples of this type of repair could be minor roof repairs, plastering work or replacement of worn out or faulty baths and wash hand basins.
Batched Works
Within 100 working days
These are the repair and replacement of items that usually require pre-inspection, ordering and manufacture. It can mean larger quantities of repairs such as extensive plastering that would not be completed in the above repair
timescales. If a repair cannot be completed (e.g. if materials have to be specially ordered), City West will endeavour to inform the customer of the revised timescale for completion of the work.
Electrical Testing
Every five to ten years (depending on the type of property) an inspection and test will be carried out to ensure the safety of electrical installations and fixed appliances. A report will be made and any defects will be corrected
immediately where possible or programmed for follow on work.
*If you smell gas, or suspect a gas leak, always call National Grid first on 0800 111 999 at any time, day or night.
Some repairs to your home are your responsibility. If a repair is your responsibility we will tell you and inform you of the cost if you would like us to complete it for you. For these jobs we will require payment in advance of work being undertaken.
These include:
• Toilet seats
• Batons to fix curtain rails
• Curtain rails
• Repairs to domestic
appliances such as washing machines
• Sealants around sinks, baths, windows (internal) or worktops
• Bath panels
• Wash hand basin or bath plugs
• Chips to baths or wash hand basins
• Unblocking of external gullies (except communal)
• Work due to lost keys such as lock changes
• Repairs to internal doors and doorframes
• Skirting boards
• Meter cupboards (above ground level)
• Floor and wall tiles
• Replacement of electrical fuses
• Repairs to internal alterations (home improvements) we have not approved
• Gates or fences unless communal areas or near a bus route, canal or railway line
• Paths except those to main entrances or required to access bin areas
• Removal of mould from walls and ceilings (For more information see our ‘Keep your Home Free from Damp and Mould’ leaflet)
• Fixtures and fittings not installed by City West such as showers
• Decoration
We will carry out some repairs, such as blocked toilets, wash hand basins and baths, when first reported. However, if problems persist and the operative assesses that this is caused by the tenant, such as food waste blocking up drains, we may recharge for repair works.
We replace some fixtures and fittings as part of our property
investment programmes, using guidance set out in the Government’s decent homes standard.
Taking into account the quality and age of these components, City West does not accept responsibility for repairs at other times.
These include:
• Sinks, baths or wash hand basins
• Kitchen units and drawers including furniture
• Kitchen worktops and units
• Windows
For more information on our internal and external refurbishment programmes see our ‘Programme Works and Major Improvement’ leaflet.
What we’ll do and when we’ll do it
There are a variety of ways to access our service, making it easy to request a repair.
• Our dedicated Service Centre will offer a 24 hour emergency repairs service, 365 days a year
• We will check at least 10% of completed repairs to monitor the quality of the work
• We aim to complete all categorised repairs first time
• When you request a repair we will offer you a convenient appointment
• We aim to complete repairs within publicised timescales
• We will tell you if an appointment needs to be changed
or cancelled and will provide you with a new appointment date
How we will monitor
our standards
and communicate
performance to you
Our service standards set out the level of service you should expect from City West and we monitor our performance against the standards in a range of ways including:
• Customer satisfaction surveys
• Mystery shopping exercises
• Customer inspections
• Audits of how we delivered services
We publish our performance on our customer website every 3 months and throughout the year in various publications. We review the
standards every 2 years in consultation with customers to ensure they continue to meet their needs and expectations.
RepairsV6June15
Getting in touch
0300 123 55 22
www.citywesthousingtrust.org.uk
hello@citywest.org.uk
0300 numbers are charged at local call rates from both landline and mobile phones and can also be deducted from any inclusive free minutes you may have. This means it should cost you less to call us from a mobile.
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0161 605 7260
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