Repairs And Home Improvements
We are committed to ensuring that the property you rent from us is maintained to a high standard and that your home and its fixtures and fittings are looked after for you and future tenants to enjoy.
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Repairs
Reporting a repair
1. If your repair is an emergency please call us immediately on 0300 303 8540 (24-hour).
Where there is a risk to health and safety or a real danger to people or property. You can contact us 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to report an emergency repairs by calling 0300 303 8540.
2. For non-urgent repairs:
Where the repair does not present as a danger or compromise the safety of tenants or the property.
You can report & self-book a non-urgent Repair Appointment through My Account on your mobile, laptop and desktop by selecting a date & time that suits you.
My Account is the easiest and fastest route for you to diagnose a repair using our graphical selection tool. This service is available 24/7.
My Account repair diagnosis graphical selection tool (below).
My Repairs and Maintenance Service
Our repairs handbook includes information about our repair service, what you can expect and advice on your responsibilities.
Your Responsibilities as a Tenant
Our Responsibilities as Your Landlord
3. Handyperson Service (elderly & disabled)
Older and vulnerable tenants can use our free handyperson service for odd jobs around the house. The service can help with jobs such as fitting shelves and connecting cookers. Eligible tenants can use the service up to twice a year – for a maximum two hours per job.
Household Emergency Plan
Families and households can better cope with emergencies by preparing in advance and working together as a team. This leaflet helps you with basic steps to being prepared for emergencies.
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Improving Energy Efficiency
Cold To Cosy Homes
Cold to Cosy Homes provides energy advice visits for households and can provide immediate installation of a wide range of practical energy-saving improvements, this service is run by Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS)
To find out more information or to apply for Cold to Cosy Homes click here.
What is involved?
A FREE home energy efficiency advice visit from a qualified CAfS assessor who can:
- Provide energy saving advice – including using heating systems, setting thermostats and radiator valves, dampness and ventilation, insulation, checking fuel tariff and switching
- Fit free energy saving measures, such as LED bulbs and draught proofing
- Refer for the free fitting of professionally installed energy saving improvements
- Help check energy tariffs and offer switching advice
- Refer for larger energy efficiency measures, such as insulation and heating
- Refer for income, benefit and debt advice, Warm Home Discount, Priority Services Register, Fire Service visit and help with other home hazards
- Refer to a variety of schemes provided by local agencies and charities
Who is eligible?
Any home, regardless of tenure, where any member of the household meets the eligibility criteria, which are based on household income and benefits, vulnerability and a range of health conditions. The eligibility for Cold to Cosy Homes is the same as for LEAP visits and details are at the end of this sheet.
Cold to Cosy Homes Questions & Answers
To find out more about any aspect of Cold to Cosy Homes, please contact the CAfS office on 01768 210276 (Monday to Friday) or email office@cafs.org.uk
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Tenant Alterations And Improvements
Written permission is required if you want to; decorate the exterior of the property, make any structural alterations or additions, alter or add any fixtures, remove any hedges, trees or shrubs, fix satellite TV aerial dishes, construct hardstandings and erecting sheds.
You must obtain written consent from us before you carry out any work. We cannot refuse permission without good reason, but may impose reasonable conditions. There may also be local planning or conservation area restrictions preventing you from undertaking some works. You should contact us to request permission.
Please give us as many details as possible, that is, the nature of the works, plans, and contractors name (where appropriate). When we have received all the information we need, have carried out any necessary inspections, and have seen proof of all consents (where appropriate), we will notify you of our decision and agree when the works can start. This will usually happen within 28 days of receipt of your application.
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Aids And Adaptions
Our aim is to help our vulnerable and disabled customers by providing aids and adaptations to assist with day-to-day activities within their home. We can only consider aids and adaptation requests for permanent household members and if approved we will carry out this work free of charge.
If you require a minor adaptation (grab rails, stair rails, step modification), all you need to do is contact us. But, if you require a major adaptation (wet rooms, stair lifts, extensions) you should refer yourself to Social Services where an Occupational Therapist will need to carry out an assessment. Social Services contact details are as follows:
Social Services, County Offices, Kendal, LA9 4RQ.
Telephone: 01539 713378. Email: kendalssd@cumbria.gov.uk -
How To Videos
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Heating
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Improvement Programme
The life span of a kitchen is 22 years and 32 years for a bathroom. If we identify that these need replacing we will contact to you to explain the process and arrange for an asbestos refurbishment survey to be carried out. Following this, a pre-entry appointment will be arranged to discuss the installation process and we will agree a date for works to start.
If you are having a new kitchen installed we will arrange for a kitchen designer to visit you to agree a design around your current electrical appliances. If you intend to buy new appliances it is important you advise us at this stage to ensure they will fit.
If you are having a new bathroom installed we will contact you to arrange an appointment and allow you to choose a design and style to suite you.
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Think Before You Pour
Oils and fats that are used in cooking harden inside pipes when poured down the sink. This can cause blockages and sewer flooding to your home and garden.
What not to pour down the sink?
Cooking oils, meat fats, lard, shortening, butter, margarine, sauces, dairy products and food scraps.
Do
- Wipe and scrape plates before you wash them in the sink
- Collect all used cooking oil into a suitable container
- Use strainers in skin plug holes to catch any bits and pieces of food in your sink and then empty them into a suitable bin
Don’t
- Put fats, oils or grease down the sink
- Put food scrapings into the sink
- Pour harmful chemicals down the sink or drain to try and dissolve fats, oils or grease
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Think Before you Flush
Every day thousands of wet wipes, cotton buds, sanitary products and other unsuitable items are flushed down toilets instead of being put in the bin. This causes blockages in our homes which may cause waste to flow back and flood homes and gardens.
What not to flush down the toilet?
Cotton buds, baby wipes, facial wipes, cleansing pads, medicines, toilet roll tubes, plasters, nappies or sanitary products.
Do
- Have a bin in the bathroom so nobodys tempted to flush litter
- Only Flush the 3 Ps – Pee, Poo and Paper
Don’t
- Flush products that claim they are “flushable” as they may not dissolve
- Put anything down the toilet that belongs in the bin
