Report a repair and priority timescales
- How to report a repair
- What to do in an emergency or out of hours
- Repair priorities and timescales
- Updates on repair request
- Logging complaints
How to report a repair
To report a repair, you can call our repair line number where the team will be ready to advise and help.
The telephone number is: 01329 824 771.
Our office opening hours are 08:45am-5:15pm, Monday to Friday
When you call, you can help us by letting us know:
- Your name
- Your address and up to date telephone/mobile number
- Details of the repair including what the problem is, providing as many details as possible.
If you prefer, you can email your repair to us at responsiverepairs@fareham.gov.uk.
Alternatively, you can visit our reception in person at Civic Offices, Civic Way, Fareham, Hampshire.
Another option is to write to us at: Civic Offices, Civic Way, Fareham, Hampshire, PO16 7AZ.
You can find out our how long it may take for your repair to be fixed by checking our repair timescales section below.
More details on housing repairs, timescales and planned maintenance can be found in our Repairs Policy 
(538 KB). We also have a Repairs Policy Easy Read (187 KB) to summarise the process.
Emergencies and Out of Hours
If you need to report an emergency repair or gas repair outside of our office opening hours, please telephone the emergency out of hours telephone number as follows:
- Emergency out of hours: Text EMERGENCY to 07860 098 627. The on-call officer will receive your text and call you back for more details.
- We also have an out of hours emergency voicemail system; you can call 01329 824 747 and leave a voicemail for the out of hours officer to action.
Both of these numbers go straight to the on-call officer.
Gas repairs (anytime): 0800 9702512
Other contact telephone numbers that may be of help:
If you think you have a gas leak or carbon monoxide present then:
- Turn off your gas meter
- Open all windows and
- Do not smoke or touch light switches and call National Grid
Emergencies on: 0800 111 999 - See full details on what to do
Power cuts can be reported to the National Grid on 080 6783 105 or visit https://customer.nationalgrid.co.uk/contact-us for more information.
Please help us by providing as much information as possible when you report the repair, eg. location, severity etc., as this will help us to send the right repair person with the right materials and the right tools to your home.
Please ensure your home is safe for us to work in, eg. pets are kept safe, repair is accessible, children under 18 are not left alone in the house.
Repair priorities and timescales
When you ring us to report a repair, your repair is instantly assessed by the repairs advisor and given a priority which has a realistic target time for completion.
The repair advisor can tell you what priority your repair has been given, which will be prioritised into one of
the following categories: emergency, significant, routine, planned routine repairs or complex repair investigations.
On some occasions further investigation of the repair issue might result in it being re-categorised. This could result in the repair works starting soon, or being identified that the required works will fall under a future planned maintenance project.
The categories and examples are in the table below:
| Category | Description | Examples (not exhaustive | Investigation Timeframe | Remedial Works Timeframe |
| Emergency | Serious and imminent risk prejudicial to health |
Extensive mould in multiple rooms, structural damp, vulnerable occupants (children, elderly, respiratory illness), Total loss of power, lighting or heating and hot water. Internal leaks that cannot be controlled Blocked or leaking foul drain or soil stack, or a toilet not flushing when there is no other toilet in the property. A stairlift failure. An insecure external window, door, or lock. Electrical hazards. |
Within 24 hours |
Start immediately and make safe within 24 hours.
|
| Significant | Less severe issue but still risk of negative effects on the health and safety of tenants |
Widespread mould in one or two rooms, recurring damp, no immediate health emergency. Partial loss of water, a tap which cannot be turned off or is leaking, or a minor leaking pipe which is not affecting the building. Glass replacement, where security is affected, or roof tiles missing or damaged. Extractor fans in kitchens or bathrooms not working, or a door intercom not working. |
Within 10 working days |
Undertake safety work within 5 working days of investigation. Begin any supplementary preventative work within 5 days of investigation or as soon as possible. If complex, full works must begin within 12 weeks with supplementary preventative works completed within a reasonable time period. |
| Routine | Minor or localised issue, minimal health risk |
Small patches of mould on sealant, condensation on windows. Repairs to damaged fencing, gutters, or downpipes. Renew, repair internal doors, or refix letter plates. Minor cases of damp and mould within the home where an initial inspection has already been undertaken and where it appears to relate to condensation only. |
Planned inspection (as part of routine maintenance) |
Within 28 days or as part of planned works |
| Planned Routine Repairs | Those repairs that do not fall into any of the above categories and are not part of the Council's wider planned maintenance programme. |
Plastering repairs or internal decoration of a room. Rebuilding masonry walls or replacing fencing and/or gates. Replacing roof or windows. |
Within 6 months | |
| Complex Repair Investigations | Where the cause of the fault is not known and may require extensive investigation and/or monitoring to diagnose the repair needed. |
Flooding and water ingress from the highway or land affecting the home. Underpinning or settlement causing structural damage. Inherent building structure defects including roof spread, thermal/expansion cracking and cold bridging. The above are often significant building defects and may involve professional consultants or insurance companies. |
May be ongoing, dependant on issue. |
If the home requires a complex repair investigation, this will be explained to the tenant and with any foreseen timescales. The Council aims to complete repairs on conclusion of the diagnosis of the repair. |
Updates or complaints
If at anytime you would like an update on a logged repair with us, then please do not hesitate to contact us.
If you are dissatisfied with an element of the repair service, including the category/priority that your repair has been assigned, then the Council have a complaints procedure which can ensure your concern is escalated to an appropriate manager.