Repair responsibilities

Overview

Although we will carry out most repairs for general wear and tear, there are some things you will need to organise and pay for yourself.

You are responsible for:

• any damage caused by yourself, a member of your household or visitor
• replacing keys or locks when keys are lost or when you get locked out
• fitting and repairing additional door locks or latches
• replacing or repairing catches, locks and latches on internal doors and cupboards
• repair and maintain any fixture, fitting or appliance you have put in, unless we have agreed to maintain it for you
• adjusting doors when you have fitted new carpets
• replacing curtain rails and battens
• replacing coat rails and hooks
• replacing light bulbs, fluorescent tubes and starters
• resetting trip switches and, if necessary, turning off the mains supply
• testing your smoke detector regularly
• unblocking basins, sinks, baths and toilets
• unblocking washing machines or dishwashers
• replacing plugs and chains on baths, basins and sinks
• installing washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers  
• keeping drain covers clear of leaves or rubbish
• keeping air vents clear 

Exceptions:

• If you are over 60 years old or disabled and have no able-bodied adult to help you, we may be able to put you in touch with organisations that can help
• If damage is caused by a break-in or vandalism, we will carry out work to make your home safe. We will then investigate the causes before we carry out further work
• If for reasons of safety or security, we have to carry out repairs that are your responsibility, we will charge you the full cost of getting the work carried out

Preventing Damage

To make sure your home is safe for you and your family, and keep your home in good working order you must:

• keep your property and garden in good condition
• decorate inside including filling minor cracks or holes.
• let us know as soon as you notice a repair is needed and take action to prevent it getting worse
• allow us access to your property to carry out repairs, annual safety checks and any necessary inspections
• take action to prevent and control condensation
• take action to prevent pipes from freezing or bursting
• contact Gas Emergency Service immediately if there is a gas leak - call free on 0800 111999
• turn off your water supply at the stop tap if a water pipe has burst and then turning on all taps to allow remaining water to flow out

Garden repairs

You're responsible for:

• Keeping your garden in good condition  
• Any improvements or alterations
• Replacing keys and locks to garage or shed doors 

Fences and boundaries

From general maintenance and wind damage, to boundary issues and responsibilities, this article should tell you what you need to know and clarify what’s your responsibility.

Boundaries

Until a property is sold, all boundaries belong to Derby City Council. If a boundary is between two properties managed by Derby Homes, the tenants have a shared responsibility for maintaining the boundary.

Where a boundary lies between a Derby Homes managed property and a private property, we will speak with Derby City Council to find out who is responsible for the boundary.

Fences

In most cases, you are responsible for repairing and replacing fencing.

What will Derby Homes do?

Any fence that is deemed dangerous will be made safe, but will not be repaired or replaced. There are some exceptions where we may repair and replace fences, for example: 

• in communal areas
• where properties adjoin public spaces. For example where a rear garden adjoins a park
• where there is a safety risk, such as a change in ground levels that creates potential trip or fall hazard. 

In all exceptional cases, we will carry out an individual assessment to inform our decision.

Where there is a boundary dispute, we will separate two properties using a post and rail fencing. 

There will be some situations where the fencing layout or location is not clearly defined enough to fit within the above guidelines. In these cases, our staff will work with you to make that judgement.

How long do fencing repairs take?

Dangerous fencing Will be 'made safe' within 24 to 48 hours of being reported.

All other fencing is classed as specialist, non-urgent work and will be completed within 60 working days (approximately three months). Even though the majority of this work is external and may not require an appointment, it’s best to let us know in advance if there are any issues with access as this may delay any work.

Note: Where we experience high levels of reported works, for example due to storms and severe weather, timescales in some circumstances may exceed the stated response times above.

Painting, staining and treating fences

As our new timber fencing is pre-treated and protected, it will usually not be necessary to paint it when it is installed. This will not reduce the lifespan or the physical appearance of the fencing. Whilst it’s not essential, treating the fence every five years, can increase the lifespan, if you decide to treat your fences, make sure the treatment is water based.

Severe weather events

There are times when uncontrollable events occur that are not the fault of any party.  

Derby Homes are not liable for any damages caused by a severe weather event. If you have any specific concerns, we will work with you on a on a case by case basis as we acknowledge each instance is different.

Damage to neighbouring properties is not the responsibility of Derby Homes. Those individuals will need to deal with incidents through their own insurance.

Gates

Our responsibility:

• Gates separating front and rear gardens.  

Your responsibility:

• Gates you’ve installed yourself.
• Driveway gates.

Definitions

Maintain – Fix broken panels, reset posts, rehang gates, treat/stain wood

Make Safe – Removing any affected and dangerous panels or posts

Replace – Fit new panels, individual boards or post