Customer Feedback

Frequently Asked Questions - Complaints, Comments and Compliments

Boilers

“I’ve just moved into my property and the boiler doesn’t work”
For safety reasons we do not connect the gas supply while the property is empty. The majority of boilers work well once the gas is connected after a new tenant has moved into the property. Unfortunately, there are occasions when there is a problem. To get someone to come round and test your boiler please call your local New Tenancy Liaison Officer who will be able to arrange an appointment for you. To find out who your New Tenancy Liaison Officer is, contact your local area housing office. You can find out which area housing office covers your area by clicking here.

“My boiler keeps breaking down, even after you repair it. Why won’t you replace it?”
Many boilers are made up of a variety of complex parts. When a boiler breaks down we will inspect it and fix the faulty part. Unfortunately, sometimes it will appear ok at this point, but after a short while a different part will become faulty, even though there was no way of knowing this during our previous visit. We will then come round again and fix this part for you. We appreciate that it is frustrating to have a boiler which breaks down on a number of occasions, but in the vast majority of cases, once all the faulty parts have been replaced the boiler will then stop breaking down and operate perfectly well for a long period of time. Replacing a boiler is very costly and as a social landlord we have a responsibility to spend our tenants’ money wisely and therefore we will only carry out a replacement when it is absolutely necessary. For more details on heating, click here.

“I had a gas safety check but they didn’t give me a gas safety certificate when they had finished”
Our contractors are unable to give you a certificate there and then as they are required by law to record all the information prior to issuing it. Therefore, you should receive the certificate within twenty eight days of the completion of the safety check. If you still have not received it please contact this number 0207 527 8508 or email gsmt@homesforislington.org.uk

Repairs

“My property has damp but every time you come round you tell me it doesn’t. I can clearly see the mould.”
In many cases mould is the result of condensation which has occurred due to warm, moist air produced by everyday activities not being able to escape. By ensuring that you ventilate your home properly you can avoid such condensation and mould appearing. Because you are able to take these measures yourself we class such condensation as a “lifestyle issue” for which you are responsible, rather than as a repair. Click here to see a leaflet showing you how to prevent condensation.

“My flat is really cold. I need double glazing”
We are under no obligation to replace single glazed windows that are in good condition and it would not be a good use of our limited repairs budget to do so as tenants with genuine repair issues would lose out. You can have your property assessed by the Energy Doctors who can offer advice around insulating your property which will help retain heat and also save money on your heating bills. For more information on this service, click here.

Decent Homes

“I thought I was going to get a new kitchen and/or bathroom but now I’ve been told that I’m not”
The Decent Homes Standard is determined by the government and has strict criteria around which homes qualify as being in decent condition and which do not. The funding we received from the government to carry out major improvement works relates directly to the number of properties we have that are categorised as non-decent. Therefore we can only install new kitchens or bathrooms if they fall under this non-decent category. As an example, kitchens less than 20 years old and bathrooms less than 30 years old will not qualify for renewal. For further information on the decent homes standard, please click here.

Antisocial Behaviour / Neighbour Nuisance

“I’d like to complain about my neighbour….”
As this is an issue to do with your neighbour it is not a complaint about the service provided by Homes for Islington. We take complaints of antisocial behaviour seriously. If you feel your neighbour is acting in an irresponsible and antisocial manner and that their behaviour is having a negative impact on your quality of life, then you need to report any incidents to your local tenancy management advisor. To find out who your tenancy management advisor is please click here to find out which area housing office covers your area. If you then click on the appropriate area housing office and scroll down the page you can click on the link for a full list of contacts at that office, including your tenancy management advisor.

Asbestos

“Some work was carried out to my property and I think that there is asbestos in the air”
When carrying out work we will always identify if there is a potential asbestos risk. For major works projects we have an extensive asbestos database and relevant information is passed to the contractors during the planning stages. The project team jointly review this info to identify where their works have the potential to disturb asbestos containing materials. Additional surveys and/or sampling of suspect materials would also be completed at the planning stage.

Our day-to-day repairs contractors also have access to this information which they will request if they suspect asbestos may be disturbed. If the database is inconclusive, additional surveys and/or sampling of suspect materials will be arranged.

Where such a risk exists we will remove asbestos which could be disturbed by the repair work. If there is no danger of the asbestos being disturbed we will not remove it as asbestos removal is generally considered a last resort.

Where removal does become necessary, HFI will ensure that the work is carried out in accordance with legislative requirements and industry guidance/best practice. In many cases this will mean appointing a specialist asbestos removal contractor to complete the works.

Depending on the nature and scope of the asbestos works, background air monitoring may be carried out to ensure that operatives and residents are not exposed to asbestos fibres. In many cases an air test will also be completed at the end of the works to ensure that the property/room is safe for re-occupation.

Please click here for further information about asbestos.