Repairs advice

We have recently reviewed our repairs and maintenance services, alongside external specialists, assessing what changes are required to ensure we meet the high standard to which all tenants of Uttlesford District Council are entitled.

One of the key areas we have reviewed is how health and safety checks to our homes are managed. This includes making sure all the information that we have about each home is correct and that the right checks are being done, at the right time.

We want to assure tenants and leaseholders that keeping your home safe is our top priority. Overall, your home has been regularly maintained over many years, and we receive positive feedback generally about our services from our tenants.

Please take the time to review the questions and answers below, however, if you feel you need to get in touch you can call us on  01799 510510 or email repairsadvice@uttlesford.gov.uk.

Checks are required to your home

As a tenant or leaseholder of Uttlesford District Council you may have recently received a letter from our Chief Executive explaining that your home requires some outstanding checks.

Electrical testing

The minimum standard for electrical inspections on council-owned properties is for a test to take place every 10 years. Our target is to make sure that every home has an electrical safety inspection at least every 5 years.

To achieve this, we need to complete an electrical safety inspection on some of our properties, which we plan to do in the next three months. Uttlesford Norse Services Limited, who carry out this work for us, are bringing in extra specialist contractors to arrange and carry out these inspections within this timeframe.

Asbestos

We are also reviewing the communal areas of flats to make sure that we have all information on any asbestos within our homes. Although unlikely, we may also contact tenants and leaseholders about asbestos testing if required.

We have notified the Regulator of Social Housing to tell them about our position and about the work we are doing to make sure all the homes we own have up-to-date checks.

What you need to do

If your home requires an electrical inspection, you will soon receive an appointment by letter or email.

It is important that you respond, either by accepting the appointment or by contacting us to arrange an alternative time that is convenient.

If our records show that you have had an electrical inspection within the last 5 years, we do not need to arrange a test now.

There is no need to contact the Council about these checks - we will contact you if we need to. However, if you do feel you need to get in touch you can:

• Phone: 01799 510510
• Email: repairsadvice@uttlesford.gov.uk

Is your property safe

If your property has not been inspected in the last five years, it does not mean that the property is unsafe. These checks are preventative.

Checks are required to be carried out every ten years. The council prioritises the safety of residents and has a target to carry out checks every five years. As we have identified a number of properties that have not had a check in the last five years, we are ensuring these checks are done in the next three months.

Tenants are required under their tenancy conditions to let the council know when a repair is needed. Once informed about a repair, Uttlesford Norse Ltd carries this out at the earliest opportunity on behalf of the council. This means that any problems with a property should already have been picked up and put right.

You should continue to raise repairs in the usual way

How to find out if your property is affected

The council is writing to all council tenants to set out what it is doing with the repairs and maintenance service. Properties which have not received an inspection within the last five years will then receive an appointment letter. The majority of council properties have been inspected within the last five years though, so no action will be needed for these.

If you do get an appointment letter please keep the appointment or, if it is not convenient, contact the council and rearrange the appointment for a more suitable time.

There is no need to contact the Council about these checks - we will contact you if we need to. However, if you do feel you need to get in touch you can:

• Phone: 01799 510510
• Email: repairsadvice@uttlesford.gov.uk

Will I get a rent rebate or compensation if my home needs a check

The council is not offering any compensation.

You should continue to paying rent to prevent being in breach of your tenancy agreement.

If you don't want anyone to come to your home to carry out checks

It is a condition of your tenancy agreement that the council is allowed to carry out repairs and maintenance on your home.

In the event that you are unable to keep an appointment, please contact the council at the earliest opportunity, so an appointment can be arranged for a more convenient time.

Does this affect my insurance

The council insures all its houses through buildings' insurance, and has made the building insurers aware. The council's tenants are always advised to take out contents insurance to cover items inside the home.

If you are a tenant and worried about how your contents' insurance may be affected, please contact the council to arrange a call back.

What you can do to keep your family safe

The most important thing you can do is to raise any repairs that need doing to your home, and to always make sure someone is at home for any repairs appointments.

This includes property inspection appointments the council makes with you. If the appointment offered is not suitable, please contact the council to arrange a more convenient time.

Please remember that the electrical checks that need doing on some properties are preventative and do not mean your home is unsafe.

Will this delay repairs/planned work at my home

No. Repairs will be undertaken as previously arranged. Extra resource is being brought in to complete the outstanding checks.

A workman has turned up without an appointment or ID, what should I do?

As always with visits from the council or our contractors, please do beware of bogus callers. Anybody working for us will always have proper photo ID and have made an appointment - do always check with us if you find anything suspicious.

Health and safety records that we hold

We are also putting in place improvements to the way our health and safety work is recorded and ensuring we have regular updates on all our inspection programmes. These inspections include water hygiene, fire safety, lift safety and gas servicing. From October 2022 there will be a new legal requirement for all homes to have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors which will be included as part if these improvements.

These updates are part of a wider programme to look at how our repairs and maintenance services are being delivered.