Repairs to your home

Report a repair 

Emergency repairs 

If you have an emergency, you need to call us. We are available for emergency repairs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Non-urgent repairs 

You should report all non-urgent repairs through My Account. This is an online service that's available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.   

• Sign up to MyAccount  
• Login to MyAccount 

If you can’t access MyAccount, you can call us. 

Information on repairs 

We have two repair priority categories:  

• Emergency 
• Non-urgent/routine repairs 

Repairs are prioritised on:  

• the nature of the work  
• the impact to your home or neighbouring homes   
• your own individual needs and circumstances  

We‘ll always look at your individual circumstances and judge the impact of the problem on your situation. For example, a broken shower will be a higher priority for someone who has no other form of bathing, than someone who has a bath they can use. 

Prioritising repairs based on your needs 

We treat some repairs more urgently if you are elderly, disabled or have very young children in your home. Complete our about you survey and make sure your information is up to date.  

If you have a physical or mental impairment which impacts your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, we may be able to make a reasonable adjustment to help you access our services.

Emergency repairs 

Repair Issues that can cause harm to people or damage to the property are classed as emergency repairs. 

Emergency repairs will be attended within either 2 hours or 24 hours depending on the urgency of the problem. We’ll always let you know how long it will be before we are with you. 

As a priority, we will always make sure the situation is safe, and if we can’t complete the work there and then, we’ll arrange a follow up appointment.     

Some examples of emergency repairs include:   

• Total loss of water or electricity.  
• Unsafe electrical fittings.   
• Blocked main sewer drain that is backing up into the property.  
• Unusable toilet facilities - if there is only one facility in the property or the available toilet is inaccessible.  
• Insecure doors and windows to your home. 
• Total loss of gas supply. * 
• Heating and hot water faults or breakdowns in the winter (1 October – 31 March).  

* If you think you have a gas leak, contact the Gas Emergency Service immediately! - call free on 0800 111999. You also need to call us. You can call us at any time in an emergency.  

Non-urgent repairs 

Non-urgent or routine repairs are repairs that don’t require immediate action. In most instances these are jobs which can be done without serious inconvenience to you.  

Routine repairs will be completed within 5, 25 or 60 working days depending on the urgency and complexity of work needed.  

Routine repairs include:  

• General joinery repairs 
• Minor plumbing repairs such as dripping taps, leaks to sinks or baths and faulty pipework.  
• Repairs to kitchen fittings such as cupboard doors, drawers, worktops, and handles.  
• Repairs to leaking gutters and down pipes.  
• External door and window repairs (if they are secure). 
• Partial loss of electrical power where the fault is inside your home.  
• Partial loss of water supply where the fault is inside your home or boundary.  
• Blocked sink, bath, toilet, or basin that you have been unable to unblock yourself.  
• Damage to stair treads, handrails, or banisters.  
• Insecure doors and windows in communal areas. 
• Damaged communal TV aerials. 

Rights and responsibilities

Right to repair 

As a tenant you have the right to have ‘qualifying repairs’ carried out, free of charge. We are responsible for carrying out these repairs. More information on what is classed as a ‘qualifying repair’ on Citizens Advice’s website. 

Our responsibilities 

If you are a tenant, we are responsible for most repairs caused by general wear and tear and will do this free of charge. 

Tenants' responsibilities

As a tenant, you are responsible for: 

• Keeping your home and garden in good condition. 
• Preventing damage to your home. 
• Decorating your home. 
• Keeping your home clean and in good condition. 
• Letting us know as soon as you notice a repair is needed and take action to prevent it getting worse. 
• Allowing us to access your property to carry out repairs, gas and electric safety checks and any necessary inspections. 

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

You are responsible for: 

• any damage caused by you, a member of your household or visitor. 
• replacing keys or locks if you lose your keys or get locked out. 
• fitting and repairing additional door locks or latches. 
• replacing or repairing catches, locks and latches on internal doors and cupboards. 
• repairing and maintaining 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 and dishwashers. 
• replacing plugs and chains on baths, basins and sinks. 
• installing washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers. 
• keeping drain covers clear of leaves and rubbish. 
• keeping air vents clear. 
• filling minor cracks or holes. 
• preventing and controlling condensation build up 
• preventing pipes from freezing or bursting 
• turning 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 

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. 

Charging you for damage 

Some damage to your home is unavoidable, most repairs are covered under your tenancy agreement and won't cost you anything.   

In some circumstances we may recharge you the cost of a repair, this is for damage caused by: 

• a deliberate, accidental or careless act  
• neglect or misuse of the property 

Our Rechargeable Repairs policy explains more about rechargeable repairs. 

Leaseholders Responsibilities 

As a leaseholder, you are responsible for arranging and paying for repairs to your flat. You will be charged for your share of repairs in communal areas. This is covered in your annual service charge. 

Subletting your property 

If you sublet your property, you become the landlord and are responsible for complying with your legal responsibilities around repairs. Find out more on Shelter's website.

What to expect when repairs are carried out 

What we expect 

To keep our workers safe and to make sure they can work as efficiently as possible, we expect you to: 

• Make sure an adult is present - Our staff cannot enter a home without someone over 18 years old being home. If there is not an adult home, your appointment will need to be rearranged, and you may be charged a missed appointment fee. 
• Keep pets and children away from workers - Some work can be dangerous. For the safety of everyone make sure Children and pets are kept away from our workers. 
• Respect our workers - Treat all workers with consideration and respect. 
• Clear the area - We may need you to move furniture or remove any floor covering, such as carpets or laminate to carry out a repair. If we do, we’ll give you seven days’ notice. If you are having difficulty arranging this, please contact us. 

What you should expect  

When carrying out work in our home, our workers should be: 

• Respectful - Our workers should be respectful and considerate towards you and your home.  
• Safe - Safety is our priority. In situations where we cannot fully complete a repair, we will make sure the repair is safe and rebook an appointment for you. 
• Trustworthy - All our staff and contractor’s will carry Identification and will be happy to provide you with proof of identity.  

Right first time   

We aim to get all repairs right first time. This might not always be possible if the repair is more complicated than initially thought or where specialist equipment is needed. If we need to revisit, we will make sure we rebook an appointment with you and order any necessary materials. 

You can help us make sure we can complete a repair on the first visit by making sure you give us as much information as possible when reporting repairs to us. 

Communicating with you  

Confirming your appointment 

Once you book an appointment with us:  

1. You will receive a text message with your appointment time and date, as soon as it is booked. 
2. You will receive a reminder text the day before your appointment. 
3. You will receive a text and call when we are on our way to your home.  

Communicating delays 

If we cancel an appointment the day before or on the day we will call you to let you know. If it’s before, we will text or email you explaining why and give you details of the new appointment.   

External Contractors 

We use contractors to support our in-house repairs team where we do not have access to specialist equipment and materials. 

We use contractors for: 

• Drainage 
• Groundworks 
• Scaffolding 
• Damp and Timber Treatments 
• PVcu window repairs 

There may be other instances where we may use contractors for other repairs. 

All our contractors go through rigorous checks to ensure they: 

• Provide value for money 
• Have the relevant skills, knowledge and experience   
• Have excellent customer care 

We expect all our contractors to deliver same service standards as our own staff. 

If you do not feel our contractor’s service meets these standards, please let us know.  

Gardens, fences and boundaries

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 
• Repairing and replacing fences 

Fences and boundaries 

From general maintenance and wind damage, to boundary issues and responsibilities, this page 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 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 most 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 

Repairs in communal areas 

Some of our homes have communal areas such as flats and our sheltered housing schemes. We will complete these repairs under the same priorities as we would in your home. 

This includes: 

• Corridors 
• Common rooms 
• Kitchens 
• Gardens 
• Stairwells 
• Bathrooms 

We regularly check these areas to make sure everything is in good condition and in working order. If you notice any damage or faults, please report these to us.  

Leaseholders 

If you are a Leaseholder, you will be charged for your share of repairs in communal areas. This is covered in your annual service charge.