Repair Responsibilities
Keeping our tenants and staff safe is always important
Watch our short video which details how we can work together to stay safe whilst maintaining your home.
Most repairs are carried out by us. However, there are some that you are expected to do.
The table below details who is responsible for what. There can be exceptions.
You may incur a charge if we are called out to a repair that is your responsibility.
| Work Type | Our responsibility | Tenant responsibility | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certification/Surveys | |||
| Appliance testing (Sheltered & homeless schemes only) | ✓ | Scheduled every year | |
| Asbestos – surveys & removal | ✓ | ||
| Electrical installation condition report (EICR) | ✓ | Scheduled every 5 years | |
| Fire risk assessments | ✓ | ||
| Heating servicing (gas/oil/solid fuel) | ✓ | Scheduled every year | |
| Legionella testing | ✓ | Applies to shared services | |
| Internal | |||
| Appliance supply (Sheltered & homeless schemes only) | ✓ | ||
| Appliance repairs (Sheltered & homeless schemes only) | ✓ | ||
| Bathroom fittings, taps, sink/basin, pan, cistern, wastes, tiling, bath, shower | ✓ | ||
| Toilet seat, plugs, curtain/curtain rail & shower head & hose | ✓ | ||
| Electrical circuits, wiring, sockets & light fittings | ✓ | ||
| Heating & hot water systems | ✓ | ||
| Communal areas | ✓ | Some exceptions apply on leasehold buildings | |
| Condensation | ✓ | Read further information about condensation | |
| Damp | ✓ | Condensation | |
| Blocked sinks, toilets & drains | ✓ | ||
| Kitchen & bathroom surveys | ✓ | 20 year kitchen inspection & 30 year bathroom inspection planned programme | |
| Floor coverings | ✓ | ✓ | Bathroom & kitchen |
| Structural, ceilings, floors & walls | ✓ | ✓ | Cracks less than 4mm tenant repair. Over 4mm BMSDC |
| Other fixtures & fittings such as light bulbs, coat hooks, washing lines, telephone ports, aerials | ✓ | ||
| Pest control | ✓ | ✓ | Communal areas BMSDC. Within property tenant |
| Radiator bleeding | ✓ | ||
| Decoration | ✓ | ||
| Replacement locks/keys | ✓ | ||
| Smoke & carbon monoxide detectors | ✓ | ✓ | Hard wired BMSDC. Battery replacement tenant. Read further information about fire safety |
| External | |||
| Chimneys & flues | ✓ | ✓ | Where no solid fuel heating installed repairs BMSDC. Sweep-clean tenant |
| Communal areas | ✓ | Some exceptions apply on leasehold buildings | |
| Drains & sewage maintenance | ✓ | Excludes blockages | |
| Fencing/Boundaries | ✓ | ✓ | Refer to fencing policy |
| Garages | ✓ | ||
| Garden maintenance | ✓ | ||
| Painting (externally) | ✓ | 6 year planned programme | |
| Paths & steps (existing within property boundary) | ✓ | ||
| Paths & roads (outside property boundary) | ✓ | Mostly highways, some exceptions apply | |
| Roof, insulation, guttering & downpipes | ✓ | ||
| Sheds | ✓ | ✓ | Brick built BMSDC. Wooden tenant |
| Windows, doors, hinges & handles | ✓ | ||
| Alterations | |||
| Customer alterations | ✓ | ✓ | Authorised & inspected by BMSDC. Tenant repairs |
| Aids & adaptations | ✓ | On referrals from O/T | |
| Safer community remedial / prevention | ✓ | On referral from authorities | |
Our Waste Team can help to replace lost or damaged wheelie bins
It's very important to use qualified workers when carrying out your own repairs. Failing to do so can lead to expensive and even dangerous mistakes.
If we attend a repair call and the fault is found to be an appliance owned by you, you could be charged.
Report a repair
To report a repair, visit our Report a Repair webpage
Right to carry out improvements to your home
If you want to make alterations to your home, you must get permission. Read our Apply for alterations webpage for more information.
Contents insurance
It is your responsibility to ensure you have contents insurance for your own personal belongings.
Thistle Tenant Risks offers you home contents insurance at an affordable rate. The insurance will:
- cover fire, theft, flood, water damage and other household risk
- cover lost or stolen keys
- freezer contents
- accidental damage to fixed glass in doors and windows
For more information contact Thistle Insurance on 0845 601 7007
It may be cheaper to call 01628 586187 from a mobile.
You can also email Thistle Insurance
You can also visit the Crystal Insurance Scheme website. The Crystal Insurance Scheme is administered by Thistle Tenant Risks.