Repair responsibilities

It is the Association’s responsibility to ensure that tenants are informed of both parties’ obligations when the tenancy commences.

Introduction

The Tenancy Agreement between the Association and its tenant determines the obligations of the landlord and the tenant. Both parties to the agreement are required to fulfil their responsibilities with regards to the maintenance of the dwelling.

It is the Association’s responsibility to ensure that tenants are informed of both parties’ obligations when the tenancy commences. The Association must ensure that its conditions of tenancy clearly define repair obligations. The following guidance is a summary and is not intended to replace a more detailed explanation expected to be provided in the Tenant’s Handbook.

It is important to emphasise that tenants must get approval from the Association prior to initiating any repair works not included in the Tenants’ Handbook. (Where it is unclear, the tenant must check with the Association in the first instance).

Housing Association repair responsibilities

Repair of structure, exterior and interior

To keep the structure, exterior and interior of the premises in good repair including:

• roof
• drains, gutters and external pipes
• exterior walls, exterior doors, window sills, window catches, window frames (including any necessary exterior painting)
• internal walls, skirting boards, doors and door frames, door jambs, thresholds, floors, ceilings, kitchen units and work surfaces (but not painting and decoration)
• major internal plaster work
• chimneys, chimney stacks and flues
• boundary walls, fences, pathways, steps and ramps

Repair of installations

To keep in good repair and proper working order any installations provided or adopted by the Association, including:

• water pipes and tanks, gas pipes and electrical wiring
• electrical sockets and light fittings (not plugs)
• basins, sinks, baths, toilets, flushing systems and waste pipes
• water heaters, boilers, fireplaces, fitted fires and radiators
• smoke/ heat alarms and fire alarms

Repair of common areas

To take reasonable care to keep the following in reasonable repair and fit for use by the tenant and other occupiers and visitors to the premises:

• common entrances, halls and passageways;
• stairways and lifts
• rubbish chutes
• lighting
• any other common areas

Decoration of exterior and common parts

To maintain the exterior of the property and any internal communal areas in a reasonable state of decoration.

Tenant repairs responsibilities

General

To repair, renew or replace as necessary any parts of the structure, installations, fixtures or fittings inside or outside the building that are wilfully or negligently damaged by the tenant or any person (including children) living in or visiting the tenants home (this also includes instances where damage is caused by vandalism or break-in).

However the Association may reserve the right to waive tenants’ responsibilities for repairs in particular circumstances. Generally, these will relate to people with disabilities or the elderly and will be defined in the Tenants’ Handbook.

Not to make any changes to the structure of the property, including the installation of satellite dishes or television aerials, its fixtures and fittings, boundary fence or wall or anything connected to the provision of services to the property without written permission from the Association.

To take reasonable steps to avoid moisture build up (condensation) within the property.

Decoration and other matters

To keep the interior of the premises in good and tenantable repair and in clean and good decorative condition, and to decorate all internal parts of the premises as frequently as is necessary to keep them in reasonable decorative order.

Exterior of dwellings

To keep the exterior of the premises in a good condition e.g. free from rubbish and debris, grass should be cut on a regular basis etc.

Minor repairs/maintenance

To carry out minor repairs including the following:

• adjustment of doors, particularly when new floor coverings have been fitted
• alterations to install additional appliances, fittings or fixtures
• lost or damaged keys or fitting of extra locks
• replacement glass in windows and doors
• fitting and replacement of TV aerials or satellite dishes (and dealing with any damage to property or neighbouring property caused by their installation)
• cleaning leaves, garden waste etc from rainwater gullies
• unblocking sinks, hand basins toilets etc due to misuse
• cleaning drains and wastepipes

(This list is not exhaustive).

The tenant is responsible for the maintenance of any fixtures, fittings, fencing, wall mounted aerials or satellite dishes, or anything connected to the provision of services installed or provided by the tenant or member of their household.

Any such feature installed by a previous tenant also becomes the responsibility of the current tenant. If not required, the tenant must request such features are removed at the start of the tenancy. Requests at a later date are not the responsibility of the Association.