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Maintenance of Council Housing Stock

What areas are covered by the Maintenance Service?

The maintenance service is divided up into two areas:

  • Day to Day Repairs - covering standard repairs to your property
  • Contract Services Section - who administer and monitor the contracts for major works, including roof replacement and all modernisation works e.g. bathrooms, kitchens, electrical upgrading, external redecoration and associated repairs and double glazing etc.
     

A housing maintenance information booklet (271 Kb) An image of Fareham Borough Council's PDF logo is available from the Council Housing department in the Civic Offices or online.

Day to Day Repairs

Fill in an online request for repairs to your Council House

 

The repairs service covers all aspects of the day to day repairs to your property for example:

  • Plumbing - leaking cisterns / dripping taps / problems with overflows / heating pipes / radiators.
  • Electrical - problems with sockets / lighting / electrical heating.
  • Windows & doors - glazing / not opening properly.

If you request the Council to carry out a repair to your property you will receive a letter setting out what work is to be carried out, the latest date for completion of the work and contact details. When the work has been completed we ask that you complete a satisfaction form and return it to the Council. The information you supply will help to ensure that we continue to provide a high quality repair service.

 

A better deal for tenants - your new Right to Repair gives you information and will answer some of your questions on the Right to Repair scheme. If you require more information please contact the Maintenance Section 01329 236100.

 

If you have a problem with your gas appliance please call 1st Saxon Clenmay on 01329 822113. The office is open Monday to Friday 8.00am to 5.00 pm. This service covers council owned boilers, fires, cookers and heaters etc. You may also call this number out of hours but only in an emergency.

If you smell gas or suspect a gas leak call free on 0800 111999.

Clenmay will also carry out a yearly service to your council owned gas appliances and a landlord safety check to all gas pipe work even if there are no Council owned appliances. You will be notified by letter prior to the service being carried out.

Contract Services

This section is responsible for planning the major works that will be carried out during the year e.g. re-roofing of maisonette blocks. They also draw up the contracts and arrange for the necessary tender documents to be sent out. Once the works have been awarded the section is responsible for over seeing the work as it progresses and to deal with any issues that may arise as a result of these works. They are also responsible for:

  • The gas servicing of Council Properties.
  • Implementation of disabled adaptations to properties after the work has been authorised.
  • Tenant's modernisation.

A program to carry out improvements to kitchens and bathrooms is continuing to meet the Decent Home Standard. A five year program has been produced based on information provided by the recent stock condition survey carried out for the Housing Management Option Appraisal. This work will be carried out in a partnership agreement with two selected contractors, CLC Contractors Limited and Fareham Borough Council's Building Services.

 

The five year schedule is as follows -

Tenants are offered a choice of style and colour from a selected range on the following materials:

  • Bathroom: suite colour, ceramic wall tiles, vinyl sheet flooring and wall paint colour.
  • Kitchen: door fascias, ceramic wall tiles, vinyl sheet flooring and wall paint colour.

The choices are shown on a selection card and sent to the tenants to tick a box for their preference.

 

Kitchen and Bathroom modernisations required at properties that become vacant will also be funded from this budget.

Electrical Upgrading

Council Housing is in the third year of a new 5 year cyclical programme (106 Kb) An image of Fareham Borough Council's PDF logo

 

Work will continue to bring electrical wiring in properties up to the standard of the 16th edition of the IEE regulations by means of periodical inspections identifying necessary repairs. This work will be carried out in a partnership agreement with SEC Ltd who have been very successful with other Local Authorities and Housing Associations.

 

Periodic domestic electrical installation tests and reports commenced in June 2005. Any dwelling identified as needing a full rewire are to be carried out accordingly. Officers have informed residents of properties identified for phase one of this year's program.

External Redecoration and Associated Repairs

Council Housing has been working to a 5 year cyclical programme for many years now but has often found it difficult to carry out this work within budget. Product specification analysis helped increase the life cycle of materials meaning that we could extend the cycle of some properties without it being detrimental to the property or affecting customer satisfaction.

 

The five year schedule is as follows -

Tenant consultation is one key element to achieving high levels of customer satisfaction. A colour card has been produced with assistance from ICI Dulux Limited which enables residents to decide which colour choice to make for timber doors and masonry paint.

 

Enquiries regarding our Maintenance Service can be made to the repairs administration officer in the Department of Council Housing on 01329 236100 or email housing@fareham.gov.uk.

 

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