What are you responsible for?

You must take care of your home and repair any damage caused by you, your family, visitors or even your pets.  (This may include replacing things).  In some cases, we are willing to carry out repairs and charge you the cost.  

Any fittings, extensions, alterations and so on that you make or fit without getting our written agreement beforehand, are also your responsibility.  

In general you are responsible for:

• promptly report a repair when one is needed, and take reasonable precautions to prevent further damage.  For example, place a bucket under leaks.
• Make arrangements to allow our employees to get on with their work, for example, keeping children and pets out of their way.
• Ensure that you protect and cover furniture or carpets before work starts.  Employees may help but Ashfield Homes accept no responsibility for damage.
• Take responsibility for appliances or fittings that you have installed.
• Repair any damage caused by members of your household or any visitors to your home.
• Responsibility for maintaining any improvement or alteration you have made to the property.  

Outside your home you are responsible for:

•  Windows/Doors  
  1. Glazing (unless crime number obtained)
  2. Lost or broken keys – but for elderly tenants we will provide new keys or locks for external doors and windows as necessary.
  3. Draught proofing to windows
  
• Pipes and drains
  1. Gully grids 
  2. More than first drain blockage if pipe-work not faulty -  please do not allow items such as cooking fat and nappies etc. into the drainage system. 
• Garden maintenance    

 Inside your home you are responsible for 

• Windows/doors
  1. Internal timber, UPVC or tile window sills (unless affected by rot or woodworm)
  2. Skirting boards and picture rails (unless affected by rot or woodworm)
  3. Internal doors, ironmongery and threshold strips (unless affected by rot or woodworm)
  
• Walls
  1. Minor repairs to plasterwork, such as cracks and small holes (under 6 inches or 150 mm square)
  2. All decorating inside your home
  
• Floors
  1. Loose floor coverings and carpets
  
• Ceilings
  1. Artex ceilings where tenants requesting whole ceiling done instead of a patch
  
• Kitchen/bathroom
  1. Bath panels (unless damaged by the Repair’s Section whilst carrying out repairs, or affected by rot or woodworm. Replacement panels may not match existing panels)
  2. Wooden airing cupboard panels, frames and shelving (unless affected by rot or woodworm)
  3. Plugs and chains to washbasins, sinks and baths
  4. Chains to toilets
  5. Internal pipework boxing
  6. Cupboard door catches, handles and hinges
  
• Plumbing/heating
  1. Venting of radiators (bleeding) – With the exception of Combination Boiler heating systems
  2. Sweeping chimneys and cleaning flues if you have solid fuel appliances.  These should be done regularly once or twice a year
  
• Appliances/electricity and gas
  1. Fridges (disconnection and reconnection)
  2. Electric plugs and light bulbs – including strip lights
  3. Independent battery operated smoke alarms
  4. Plugs to appliances
  5. Electric meter and supply of electricity
  6. Supply of gas and gas meter  

Please do not drill holes in UPVC windows, they can cause serious damage.  

If you consider you require any support or advice regarding your responsibilities for whatever reason, please contact our Repairs Call Handling Centre on 0800 479 4999 (Freephone) and we will endeavour to assist and resolve any difficulties you may have.  

For elderly tenants and tenants with disabilities, we may conduct some of the above repairs on your behalf, please contact our Repairs Call Handling Centre on

0800 479 4999 (Freephone) for further details.