Your Tenancy

Repairs to your home

Homes for Islington are responsible for most repairs to the structure of your home and for essential services. Your tenancy conditions set out what we will do.

Access to your home
Sometimes we need to come into your home to inspect or repair it or for other management purposes such as tenancy audits. Usually we give at least 48 hours’ notice.

However in an emergency please let our workers and contractors in immediately.

If we cannot contact you in an emergency we may need to force entry. In this case, we will not leave without securing the property and will leave contact details.

You are responsible for:

• Inside doors and glazing
• Inside fittings including skirting boards, architrave’s to doors and windows, bath panels, toilet seats, plugs and chains to sinks and baths, curtain rails and pelmets
• Inside decorations and finishes
• Repairs to doors and drawers of kitchen units
• Letter boxes
• Items, you, your family or visitors have damaged
• Repairs to any improvements you have carried out
• Replacing light bulbs and fluorescent tubes
• Replacing tap washers and plumbing installed for washing  machines and dishwashers

and

• Changing locks due to loss of keys

We are responsible for:

• Essential repairs to empty homes before new tenants move in
• Maintenance work at regular intervals (for example, lifts and heating) and major improvements and repairs
• Repairs to your home that are not listed in the section below

You can ask for a repair by phoning 0800 694 3344. Our hours of opening are 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 12 noon Saturdays. We only accept emergencies outside of these hours.

Our Call Agents will:

• Give you their name
• Correctly record your name, address and contact details
• Order your request correctly the first time
• Confirm the order number for your repair request
• Give you technical help and advice for larger repairs, if you ask us
• Agree a convenient appointment for our Contractor to carry out the repair (or for larger repairs an appointment for a Maintenance Surveyor to visit you at home)
• Offer appointment slots between 8am and 11am, 10am and 2pm, 12 noon and 4pm Monday to Friday, 8am and 11am Saturday and 4pm and 8pm one evening per week
• Send you a repair receipt on the same day and
• Give you the opportunity to comment on our service by sending you a questionnaire with a freepost envelope. You should fill this in once the repair has been done

You can also report a repair in the following ways:

By Internet
You can report your repair on-line at www.homesforislington.org.uk

We will contact you by the end of the next working day.

By e-mail
You can ask for any non-emergency repairs by e-mailing repairs@homesforislington.org.uk

We will contact you by the end of the next working day.

By minicom
You can report your repair on 0800 073 0536.

By text
You can report a repair by texting 07781 472556.

What happens after you report a repair?
Our contractor will:

• Call within the time we have given you for emergencies or call on the agreed date and time of your appointment
• Use protection for your property and clean up the work area and
• Leave a card asking you to contact us at HFI Direct to make another appointment, if they call and you are out

Our repairs pledge
We have introduced a pledge to tenants that our contractors will complete certain types of repairs to your home within 25 working days of us ordering the job. If our contractor does not complete the work within this time, you have the right to ask us to appoint another contractor to do the job.

The pledge covers most of our day-to-day repairs. A special leaflet ‘Reporting repairs including repairs pledge’ tells you what the pledge covers and how you can use it. Please contact the reception at your area housing office for a copy.

Priorities
We will give the repair a priority category depending on how urgent it is. Sometimes we will need to visit you to look at the problem and see what work is needed.

We may need to include replacements such as new baths, kitchen units and doors as part of our planned maintenance programme.

Target response times for repairs
Emergency - We will respond to an emergency repair within two hours to make it safe.

Urgent - We will respond to an urgent repair within 24 hours and complete it within 3 working days.

One stop repair - We will offer an appointment within 3 to 9 days and complete the repair within one visit.

Routine - We will offer an appointment within 3 to 9 days and complete the repair within 25 working days.

We will assess all repairs to decide who is responsible for them. If you call us out for a repair that you are responsible for we may charge you.

Out of hours emergency repairs
Sometimes emergency repairs are needed outside office hours. If a repair is very urgent (for example, it is a danger to health and safety or security) and cannot wait until the next working day, you can call our emergency service on 0800 694 3344. We may carry out a temporary repair until we can carry out a full repair during normal working hours.

Redecorating your home
You are responsible for decorating the inside of your home. However if you are:

• Aged 70 years or over or
• Disabled and receiving a recognised Disability Allowance

We may be able help you under our Elderly and Disabled Persons’ Internal Decoration Programme. Under the programme we may decorate part of your home every seven years.  Please ask at your area housing office for details.

Our improvements
The government has set a target for all social housing to meet a minimum standard by 2010.

This is called the Decent Homes Standard. Your home will need to meet the current minimum standard for housing, be in a reasonable state of repair, have reasonably modern facilities and services and provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort. HFI wants to deliver a higher standard than the Decent Homes Standard. We aim to keep your home in as good a condition as possible. So we may need to carry out work to modernise or upgrade your home or surroundings, including estates.

Before starting any work, we will consult you on what we plan to do. We will:

• Send you a letter
• Write to your Tenants’ and Residents’ Association (if there is one) or call a public meeting for all those likely to be affected by the work and
• Tell you the result of consultation and keep you informed about progress

Your home improvements
You have the right to improve your property, but there are conditions and you must get our written permission before you start work. Please apply to your area housing office for permission, which we will not unreasonably withhold.

This includes:

• Making any alteration or additions to the property, its fixtures and fittings or services to the property
• Putting an aerial or a satellite dish on the outside of the property
• Decorating the outside of your home and
• Installing laminate flooring (Permission will not normally be given for tenants living in flats unless it is a ground floor property)

If you start work without permission, we can charge you for any repairs or ask you to restore your home to its original condition.

You must also get any necessary approvals such as planning permission, building regulation approval before you start work.

You must carry out this type of work in a reasonable time and in line with conditions set out in our written permission, or any other approval.

If you are given permission to install a satellite dish or aerial you will be expected to, at your own expense, take down any dish when major works are being carried out.

If laminate flooring or tiles are damaged during repairs work, it will be at your own risk. HFI will not be held responsible for the replacement of tiles or flooring. It is advised that spare tiles and flooring are bought at the time of purchase, in case they need replacing at a later date.

Callers to your home
Our staff and contractors carry identity cards. If someone comes to your house, claiming to be from HFI, always ask them to prove their identity.

You should always ask for identity cards from people who claim to be from the gas, electricity or water board. Staff from these services should also be able to tell you your account number. It is shown on your bills, so keep one handy.

Never let anyone into your home unless you are completely satisfied that they are who they say they are.

If you have any doubts that someone is not genuine do not let them in. If the caller leaves when you challenge them, do not delay-call the police straight away.

Crime Prevention Officers at your local police station are always happy to give you further advice about protecting your home. They would also help if you want to set up a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme in your area. Remember that their advice is free.

Home improvements, repairs and DIY
You should read the ‘repairs’ section in this handbook and your tenancy conditions before carrying out any improvements, repairs or DIY. You may need to write to get our permission before starting the work.

More people are killed as a result of accidents in the home than on the roads every year. Many of these accidents happen because people are not aware of the possible dangers. Many of these accidents could be avoided by following our tips and guidelines.

General

• Always plan the work you are going to do, read instructions carefully and make sure you have the right tools for the job. 
• Never do anything you are unsure of-get expert help.

Ladders

• Do not use stepladders that are in poor condition.
• Do not use ladders that are not properly secured.
• Do not overstretch while up a ladder.

Electricity

• Make sure plugs are fitted with the correct fuse for the appliance.
• Always use a circuit breaker when working with electricity or using things like drills, lawnmowers and strimmers.
• Always switch electricity off at the mains before trying to do any electrical jobs.
• Make sure all electrical tools are earthed and the cables are in good condition.
• Take care to avoid tripping over wires.

Tools

• Keep tools in good condition - store them safely.
• Keep sharp tools safely covered.
• Use protective gloves, glasses, masks and other equipment to protect yourself.
• Make sure you know where electric wires are before drilling though walls.

Chemicals

• Always read the label.
• If you have an accident involving a chemical, such as splashing it on your skin or a child drinking something, get immediate help. Take the bottle with you if you go to a hospital this will help them to treat you.
• Make sure there is good ventilation when using cleaning fluids and bleach.
• Store chemicals and adhesives away from children.
• Take care with garden chemicals.

Garden

• Do not use tools unless you are fully competent. Tools such as chainsaws can be lethal.
• If you hire tools or equipment, make sure the shop shows you how to use them properly and safely.
• Always use a circuit breaker when working with electricity or using things like drills, lawnmowers and strimmers.
• Wear sturdy shoes and other protective clothing and equipment.
• Do not light bonfires or barbecues near other flammable material.
• Never use petrol or paraffin on a barbecue.

Accidents

• Keep a first aid kit handy.
• Keep calm.

Asbestos in your home
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a rock, which was imported from Russia, South Africa and Canada. The rock is crushed and processed to produce long thin fibres, which were added to thousands of different types of building materials.

Why was asbestos used?
Asbestos is very strong and is heat and fire resistant. In the past it was relatively cheap to produce.

Where asbestos materials could be found
The Health and Safety Executive estimates that over 1.5 million buildings (not including people’s houses) in the UK contain some asbestos materials. That figure is likely to rise to over 4 million if homes are taken into account.

Is there a risk to my health?
Materials that contain asbestos, which are in good condition, are not a risk to your health. Try to make sure that anything you think may contain asbestos remains in good condition and is sealed with paint.

Damaged materials that contain asbestos can be repaired.

Removing them is generally a last resort.

Home improvements, repairs and DIY

• Don’t drill, sand or scrape anything you think may contain asbestos when you are carrying out any home improvements, repairs or DIY.
• Always soak wallpaper before removing. If possible, use a steam stripper and then gently peel away the paper before redecorating.
• Don’t try to remove textured coatings from ceilings. Wash any areas of flaking paint before repainting.
• Don’t try to remove old floor tiles or lino. Leave them in place and lay new floor coverings over them.
• If you suspect that materials containing asbestos have been damaged please contact your local area housing office.
• Remember materials containing asbestos that are in good condition are safe.