1. Introduction
The repairs and improvements handbook has been put together by staff and tenants to give you information and guidance about Brighton & Hove City Council’s repair service.
This handbook includes:
- the council’s responsibilities as your landlord
- your responsibilities as a tenant
- how to order repairs for your home
- how long repairs should take
- an explanation of what planned works are
- information about the steps you must take when planning your own improvements
Tenant involvement is at the heart of all the services that we provide. Our repairs partnership is made up of the council, contractors and tenants.
Residents have a say in shaping the repair service that we deliver by:
- monitoring the service that we provide
- being involved in making the improvements that are important to you
Your input and feedback is important to us and you can be involved in influencing the repair service you receive
Estate Development Budget
The Estate Development Budget is a tenant-led budget that brings changes and improvements in your area. Each idea is considered by an elected panel of resident representatives and all the projects can really make a positive difference to a neighbourhood.
If you have ideas on improvements for your area, contact your local resident association.
You can:
- send an email to the Resident involvement Team RIT@brighton-hove.gov.uk
- submit an Estate Development bid online
2. Repair responsibilities
What repairs we're responsible for
By law, the council has an obligation to look after the structure of your home. Repairs must be carried out to make sure that fixtures and fittings for water, sanitation, gas and electricity are safe and in working order. We must also maintain any equipment we've installed to provide hot water and heating, and communal facilities, such as lifts and door entry phones.
We're responsible for checking repairs needed in the communal areas, and rely on residents to report repairs inside their home.
We carry out regular estate inspections, but if you see anything that needs repairing, you can call the repairs helpdesk to report it. In seniors housing, tell your scheme manager about communal repairs and they will report them.
As your landlord, we're responsible for repairs to:
- aerials - communal, where installed by us
- central heating - gas boilers, storage heaters, radiators and hot water
- chimneys - such as brickwork and replacement pots
- cookers - in senior housing only
- external doors and locks - except lost or stolen keys, door numbers and battery operated door bells
- drains - blocked drains and gullies
- electricity - except where tenants have installed their own fittings, appliances, plugs, fuses, light bulbs and meters
- fire and smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors - including battery operated alarms
- flooring - concrete structure and floorboards, new kitchen and bathroom flooring
- garages - structure and garage doors only, not locks
- gutters - clearance and repairs to gutters and fascia boards
- immersion heaters - repair or replacement
- lifts - including stair lifts
- paths - leading to front or back doors but not patios
- pipes, water tanks and cylinders
- plumbing - including:
- replacement of toilets, sinks, baths, wash hand basins (including refixing brackets)
- taps running continuously, tap replacement and other tap repairs
- blocked toilet, bath, sink or wash hand basin
- toilet not flushing properly
- roofing - such as loose or damaged tiles, rain penetration and flashings
- stairs
- walls - rendering, brickwork, pointing and internal plastering
- windows - including:
- glazing (except wilful damage, which requires a crime reference number)
- misted or fogged windows
- secure window frame
- window not opening and closing
- repair or replace window catches, handles, hinges and locks
- new window frame sills
What repairs you're responsible for
You're expected to make sure that your home, garden and balcony are kept safe, clean, free from rubbish, and are not neglected.
Exceptions are made in individual cases for vulnerable tenants, including people over 70 years of age, people who are registered disabled, and seniors housing tenants.
If we're told that a repair is needed due to misuse or wilful damage, you may be recharged for it. This doesn’t include usual wear and tear.
You're responsible for repairs to:
- clothes lines and rotary driers - except in communal areas
- cookers - gas and electric, including connections (gas cookers must be installed by a Gas Safe qualified engineer)
- internal decoration, including the inside of your front door - we don't redecorate after we have carried out repair work, although we do make good and prepare surfaces ready for your decoration
- internal doors - except door frames
- fencing - unless communal or a health & safety issue
- floor coverings - unless in a kitchen or bathroom fitted by us
- home contents insurance
- keys - including garage keys and window keys
- utilities - you need to contact the supplier directly for:
- gas and electricity meters (including key and card types)
- water meters
- cable television / internet
Your responsibilities as a council tenant
We expect you to:
- be at home for your appointment
- make sure there is clear access to the repair area
- treat staff with respect
- give feedback and reporting any areas where we might have fallen short, as this helps us deliver a high level of customer service
Contents insurance
We strongly advise all tenants and leaseholders to take out household content insurance.
Many council tenants and leaseholders believe that we automatically insure their furniture, belongings and decorations against theft, fire, vandalism or burst pipes. This is not the case. Unfortunately, many people only realise this after the damage has been done.
We recommend Crystal Insurance, provided by Thistle Insurance services, insured by Allianz Insurance PLC. They offer a good choice of cover with very competitive premium rates. You can of course choose to make your own arrangements through any other insurer.
You can contact Crystal with any questions by phoning 0845 601 7007 (or 01628 586 187 from a mobile). If you need help filling in the form they can complete the application process over the phone with you.
To apply you can visit the Crystal insurance website, or pick up a form from our housing office receptions. New tenant packs include a copy of this form.
If you would like a Policy Document, you need to request one from Crystal Insurance.
Fencing
It is usually your responsibility to both maintain and replace fencing around your home, unless it is communal.
If you are unsure whether you are responsible or not, contact the Housing Customer Services Team for advice.
Internal decorating
Internal decorating is your responsibility. We don't redecorate even after we have carried out repair work to your home. However, we do make good and prepare surfaces ready for you to decorate.
There is an internal decorating and gardening discretionary scheme which tenants in receipt of disability allowance or over 70 years may apply for.
Read more about our internal decorating discretionary scheme.
Read more about our gardening discretionary scheme.
Lost keys and fobs
It is your responsibility to replace any lost or stolen keys. If you have lost a key or fob to a main entrance door, please contact us to purchase a replacement. We'll need identification before we can issue any replacements.
If you become locked out of your home, you're responsible for regaining entry. Exceptions are made in some cases for vulnerable tenants - please contact the repairs helpdesk for advice.
If you would like additional copies of a main entrance door key, you need written consent from us, which you then need to take to either of our approved locksmiths:
- Dockerills Ltd, 3 Church Street, Brighton
- Thomas Locksmiths Ltd, 97 Portland Rd, Hove
3. Reporting a repair
To report a repair you can:
- use our online repairs reporting form
- phone the repairs helpdesk on 0800 052 6140 or 01273 294 409
- write to us at Repairs Helpdesk, Housing Centre, Unit 1, Fairway Trading Estate, Eastergate Road, Brighton, BN2 4QL
Our repairs helpdesk is open from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
If you have an emergency out-of-hours, call the same numbers and our emergency service will pick it up.
Please gather as much information as you can before reporting a repair. This helps us to identify the issue and try to resolve it on the first visit.
Gas leaks
If you smell gas, you must turn off all gas appliances, then leave the property and call the National Grid immediately on 0800 111 999.
4. When repairs will be done
Emergency repairs
An emergency repair is one which needs to be carried out quickly to avoid danger to you or serious damage to the building.
We'll attend within 24 hours so please be available to give access.
Examples of emergency repairs include:
- serious water leak
- no power in property
- no heating and hot water from boiler (November to April only)
- overflowing drains
- collapsed ceiling or roof
- ground floor window not closing
- attending a lift breakdown
- a blocked toilet - if it’s the only accessible one in your home
Routine repairs
For a routine repair we'll offer appointments. The work will be complete within 20 working days.
Examples of routine repairs include:
- anti-fungal wash down for mould on walls
- adjusting a communal door closer
- broken kitchen units
- broken paths and paving
- flashing light in communal area
- a dripping tap
Complex repairs
A complex repair is work that will take longer than 20 days to complete. This may be identified by our operative when they first arrive on site.
Examples of complex repairs include:
- work that requires planning permission
- work that needs to include consultation with other residents such as leaseholders or other landlords
- extensive or specialist work such as renewing underfloor drainage to custom made level access showers
Further work
Some jobs are larger than a simple repair and may require further works.
Examples of this can be:
- where scaffold is required
- where work affects the whole building and not just your home
- where work is weather dependant, for example roof repairs
Some work will also be subject to the statutory leaseholder consultation which will delay progress.
Identification
All of our contractors visiting your home should carry identification cards. Please ask them to show you their ID. It should look like this:
Out of hours
Between 5pm and 8am, we provide a service for emergency repairs only.
In these cases, we will only carry out a temporary repair to stop the emergency situation or make it safe. We’ll then raise a further job and make an appointment with you on the next working day, so that the repair can be completed.
Some jobs are larger than a simple repair. If this is the case, we'll include you in our Planned Work programme and tell you when the work is due to start. See section 5 for further information about planned work.
If a repair is needed due to:
- deliberate damage
- vandalism
- neglect
- botched DIY
by any member of your household or visitors to your home, we will carry out your repair and recharge you.
Cables and meters
Hanging cables on houses and blocks are the responsibility of the service providers, unless they are the council’s communal aerial.
Utility meters are the responsibility of the supplier. If you have any issues with your meter, or meter cupboard, please contact your supplier directly.
5. Planned work
What planned work is
The citywide planned work programmes include items that requires substantial repairs or replacements to the building. This is to improve the condition of our buildings both internally and externally.
Both major project work and planned replacements to our buildings, as well as works to individual homes.
Examples of planned work include:
- communal decorations to shared areas
- renewal of roofs
- window replacements
- renewal of guttering, drainage and rainwater goods
- external decorations and repairs
- long term repairs such as pointing and concrete repairs
- lift replacement
These works are being planned in programmes over the coming years to keep our buildings in repair. Sometimes work that may seem like a simple repair, such as broken or misplaced guttering to a building or block, may require scaffold.
In these instances we may inspect this and decide to add the property into the planned programme and look at the whole building to see if any other works are required while the scaffold is in place.
This demonstrates value for money for the council and ensures that we are meeting all of our full repair obligations using a planned approach rather than in an ad hoc way.
How to find out when work is due in your area
All planned work is based on need and the programme is subject to change.
To see when planned work is provisionally programmed for your area you can:
- view the planned work programme online
- phone 01273 293 346
- send an email to HIAMenquiries@brighton-hove.gov.uk and ask for a copy from the Housing Investment & Asset Team
Our planned programme also includes the work required to bring your own home up to the Brighton & Hove Standard. This is work like:
- replacement of gas boilers
- rewiring
- windows
- kitchens and bathrooms
What the Brighton & Hove Standard is
The Brighton & Hove Standard is a minimum quality standard for council homes. We developed it in consultation with tenants.
The standard is based on the Decent Homes Standard, with additional items above this minimum standard that meet local priorities.
The Brighton & Hove Standard means that your home will:
- meet the current minimum standard for housing
- be in a reasonable state of repair
- have reasonably modern facilities
- be warm and comfortable
- include other items above the national standard which have been agreed in consultation with tenants, such as a choice of kitchen style
What you can choose when we make improvements
When we work on certain areas of your council home, we'll give you a say in the style of improvements. When we carry out work to a:
- door – you can choose the style and finish
- bathroom – you have a choice of flooring colour
- kitchen – you are involved in designing the layout and have a choice of style of cupboard doors, worktops and flooring colour.
You will be given details on the choices available before the work begins.
Quality of work
The council and its partners are committed to delivering quality work to your homes.
We make sure of this by:
- inspecting work and monitoring quality
- monitoring performance with support of Resident Inspectors and tenant representatives
In return, we ask that you help us by:
- being at home for your appointment
- allowing us reasonable access to your home to carry out inspections and work
- making sure there is clear access to the repair area
- treating staff with respect
- giving feedback about what we have done well and where we can improve
- telling us when you want to carry out any work in your home yourself
- giving us positive feedback when we get things right
6. Damp and condensation
Damp in your home is a nuisance and causes mould on walls, furniture and clothes. Mould growth, if not removed, can increase the risk of respiratory conditions. Some damp is caused by condensation. We have highlighted the differences below as a guide.
What condensation is
There is always moisture in the air in your home, even though you cannot see it. Condensation occurs mainly during cold weather. It will appear in corners and on walls, around windows or behind wardrobes and cupboards, in places where there is less or little air movement.
Damp from an outside source
Damp usually creates a tide mark if it has come from outside sources.
The main causes of damp in the home are:
- leaking pipes, wastes or overflows
- rain seeping through a roof where tiles or slates are missing
- blocked or defective guttering causing an overflow of rain water
- rising damp due to a defective damp course, debris in the cavity or slumped wet cavity wall insulation.
If the damp in your home doesn’t come from an outside source, then it is probably due to condensation.
Tips on how to avoid or minimise condensation
Daily activities produce a lot of moisture very quickly. This moisture remains in the air and forms droplets of water, which then form on colder surfaces, such as glass. This can lead to mould formation. If you and your family spend many hours in one room with the door closed and no window open, this will cause excessive moisture in the air.
You can reduce moisture build up and minimise the risk of mould growth in your home by:
- covering pans in the kitchen when boiling
- ventilating bathrooms, kitchens and living areas when in use by opening windows
- always having trickle vents open
- closing kitchen and bathroom doors when in use to help prevent moisture reaching other rooms, especially bedrooms which are often colder
- drying washing outside where possible rather than on radiators
- ff you have wet clothing in the home, ventilate the room by opening windows
- if you have a tumble dryer, make sure it’s properly ventilated – close the door of the room that it is in and have a window open, or ajar when using
- keeping a small window ajar when anyone is in the room for any length of time.
- void putting too many things on top of cupboards and wardrobes as the air cannot circulate properly.
- positioning furniture against internal walls, where possible
In cold weather, it is advisable to keep the heating on for longer at lower temperatures. Keeping low background heating on all day will prevent temperatures dropping too sharply, which makes the property more difficult to heat up again.
Treating mould
Try to remove and wipe down mould when you first notice it. This needs to be managed as it will not go away on its own.
Wash down mould with an anti-fungal treatment, or bleach solution. Always follow the manufactures instructions.
The only lasting way to eliminate the mould completely is to ventilate and heat your home effectively.
7. Tenant alterations and improvements
Carrying out your own improvements
We allow you to make improvements to your home, but you must get written permission from us before starting.
Only secure tenants can carry out improvements. If you are an introductory tenant, you need to wait until your tenancy is secure.
You do not need our permission to decorate the inside of your home, lay carpet or carry out minor improvements.
You must contact us before starting all other work, including:
- laying laminate or tiled floors
- erecting a shed or greenhouse
- replacing a kitchen or bathroom
- installing a new aerial or satellite dish
Why you need our permission
It is vital that you get our permission, as there may be health and safety issues concerning the area you plan to work on. We may need to visit you to check for any risks.
Your home may contain asbestos which is dangerous when disturbed, so you need to contact us before doing any structural or maintenance work. Your home may have been tested for asbestos in the past and we will have that information.
We will always inform you whether you have permission for the work. We will normally give permission, unless the work is likely to affect the safety of the building, cause a future maintenance problem, or cause a nuisance to your neighbours.
We may attach conditions to the permission, such as insisting that the work is carried out by a competent contractor and to a satisfactory standard. We may need to inspect the work that you have carried out.
Some alterations and improvements may also require planning permission or building regulation permission. You must get this in advance, as it could cost you a lot to put things right afterwards.
We do not allow residents to attach anything to the outside of a building that has exterior cladding. Attaching anything to the cladding will damage the integrity of the building and invalidate any warranty.
If you carry out work in your home without prior permission or consent from the council, you will be recharged if we need to put this work right.
How to get permission
To get our permission you need to make an alternation request. You can:
- make your alteration request using our online form
- phone 01273 293 030 and speak to an advisor on the Housing Customer Services team
Adaptations
If you or someone living with you has a disability, there are a number of ways we can help you live more independently in your home. These include:
- providing equipment to make daily tasks easier
- improving access to your home
- adapting your bathroom to help you to use bathing facilities
To see if you qualify, contact our Access Point team. You can:
- send an email to accesspoint@brighton-hove.gov.uk
- phone 01273 295 555
- use our minicom number 01273 296 205
Some small adaptations such as grab rails, lever taps and window openers, can be fitted by us without a referral from an Occupational Therapist.
The Repairs Helpdesk will let you know if we can install the item you need. They'll also help if your adaptation needs to be repaired. If an adaptation needs repairing within 12 months of being installed, please tell us, as the item will still be under warranty.
What happens when you move out
If you move, you'll be expected to leave your home in a reasonable state of repair. You should leave any alterations that we have given permission for in place.
If we have to do any work as a result of authorised or unauthorised alterations you have done, we will recharge the cost to you. You may also be recharged if we need to clear rubbish and belongings from your home when you move out.
If you have made improvements to your home with our permission, you may be able to apply for compensation. To make a claim, you need to give us details of the improvement when you give us notice to end your tenancy. We will need to see bills for the work or, if you don’t have these, tell us the cost and when the work was done.
Any payment will depend on when you made the improvement, how much you have benefited from it, the cost, and its quality and condition.
8. Customer Care
We aim to deliver an excellent service by putting residents at the centre of everything we do. In this section, we detail the customer care you can expect from our repairs service.
Customer feedback
To ensure that you are happy with the service received, we may ask you to complete a customer satisfaction survey. Your feedback is vital in helping us to provide excellent customer service, so please do take the time to respond.
Your responses are used to identify any service areas that need improving and to build our training programme for staff. We investigate any negative responses and make sure we put things right.
If you feel that a member of staff or trades person has not delivered the high quality service you expect from us, please call the Repairs team call centre immediately on 0800 052 6140.
What you can do if you're not happy
Step 1 - Raise an issue
We always try to get things right first time but appreciate that this does not always happen. If you feel that a member of staff or trades person has not delivered the high-quality service you expect from us, send an email to RepairsCustomerServices@brighton-hove.gov.uk.
Our Repairs Customer Services team are there to help resolve your issues as quickly as possible. If necessary we will refer your query on to a manager, specific trade team or the relevant Brighton & Hove City Council department.
Step 2 - If you're still unhappy
If you are still unhappy, or think what you have been told will not help, you can make a formal complaint by contacting the council’s Customer Feedback Team. You can:
- make a complaint online
- send an email to customerfeedback@brighton-hove.gov.uk
- phone 01273 291 229
You can also contact the Housing Ombudsman for independent advice and mediation. If your complaint has not been resolved via the council’s complaints procedure, the ombudsman will then liaise with you and the council to seek satisfaction.
For more details, you can:
- visit the Housing Ombudsman website
- send an email to info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk
- phone 0300 111 3000
Right to Repair legislation
The Right to Repair scheme came into force in April 1994. The scheme covers small urgent repairs costing up to £250 which have to be completed within specified times. If the repair is not completed within this time, you can ask the council to appoint a second contractor to complete the work.
If the repair is still not completed by the end of the second period, you will be entitled to compensation of £10, plus £2 a day for every day the repair remains outstanding, up to a maximum of £50.
The Right to Repair scheme does not apply if:
- you have agreed an appointment for the repair to be carried out beyond the specified time
- you have told the council you no longer want the repair carried out
- you haven’t allowed the contractor access to carry out the work
In some cases, the council may have to inspect the repair before work begins to make sure that it is covered by the Right to Repair Scheme.
If parts are required to complete the repair, the scheme allows for the specified time to be reasonably extended.
All repairs should be reported to the council as normal. If you want further information about claiming compensations, please contact us.
9. Safety in your home
Gas and carbon monoxide
By law, it is essential that we inspect all gas supplies and appliances in your home within every 12 month period – this could save your life. If an appliance is poorly maintained, it can produce carbon monoxide.
All gas safety checks are a free service to tenants. When your home is due for a gas safety inspection, our gas contractor will contact you directly to make an appointment. You must allow them access to carry out the inspection.
This is a condition of your tenancy agreement and, if you refuse, we may force access to carry out the inspection. If we do this, we will seek to recover any costs incurred from you.
How to spot signs of carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide cannot be seen or tasted and does not smell, but it is poisonous if breathed in, even for a short time. Carbon monoxide is difficult to detect but there are a number of ways that you can see if an appliance is faulty, including:
- the boiler pilot light continually going out an orange or yellow flame (pilot light and gas cooker)
- a black, brown or scorched area on the appliance
- a musty smell or signs of soot
How to reduce the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning
You can reduce the risk of Carbon monoxide poisoning in your home by:
- always allowing engineers in to your home to carry out safety checks of your gas appliances
- never covering the appliance, vents or flues as they provide the air the appliance needs to work properly
- never sleeping in a room with a gas fire
- buying a carbon monoxide detector and checking it regularly
If you have doubts about the safety of gas appliances in your home, call the Repairs Helpdesk on 0800 052 6140 without delay.
If you do not have any smoke alarms, please contact the Fire Brigade who may be able to install one for you.
Fire
You can take the following precautions to reduce the risk of fire in your home:
- never leave cigarettes burning
- never smoke in bed
- keep matches away from children
- never leave the room when a hob or grill is on
- regularly check electrical appliances and their leads
- do not overload plug sockets
- make sure you know where your door and window keys are
- if you have battery-operated smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector, check them regularly
If a fire breaks out in your home, call 999 immediately and follow the advice they give you.
Legionella
Legionella bacteria are common in natural sources of water. Under certain circumstances, legionella can be a risk and infection can occur, but this is extremely rare.
If you have a shower, regularly descale and clean the shower head to protect against the risk of legionella. If you are going on holiday or away for longer than a week, take the shower head off and place it in a bowl of diluted disinfectant or a shower head cleaning agent. When you return, run the shower without the shower head for a few minutes and then refit it.
Asbestos
Asbestos can be found in any house or building built before the year 2000 as it was widely used in a variety of building materials. Tenants should therefore be aware that there may be asbestos in your home.
Asbestos is only dangerous when it is disturbed and fibres are released into the air. This can happen when it is cut, sanded or drilled. This is why it is important that you contact us for permission before starting any improvements.
If the asbestos in your home is not likely to be disturbed, we may decide not to remove it.
A list of potential asbestos containing materials can be found on the Health and Safety Executive website. This list doesn’t contain all possible materials containing asbestos and the only way to know for sure is to test it.
If your home has any of these items, it doesn’t mean they will contain asbestos. However, if you suspect that there is asbestos in your property, please report it to the Repairs Helpdesk by calling 0800 052 6140 or 01273 294 409.
10. Reporting repairs – illustrated guides
This page contains illustrations designed to help you when reporting a repair. You can refer to these to give us better information about your repair.
Kitchen
Common repairs in the kitchen might be to the:
- larder unit - a long cupboard unit, that runs from floor to ceiling
- plinth - the section between the bottom of the cupboard units and the floor
- worktop - the area where you may prepare food, or stack dishes
- cooker switch - a switch, often red, and sometimes with a red light to indicate if it is on or off. It's usually near the cooker
- extractor fan - a fan built in to the wall, usually above head height, to allow for air flow
- wall units - cupboards mounted on the wall, often at face height above the worktop and sink
Kitchen sink
Common repairs around the kitchen sink might be to the:
- sink - the basin, taps or the drainage board next to it
- sink waste - the pipe below the sink that runs directly from it to the outside
- washing machine waste - if your washing machine is in the kitchen, this is the pipe running from the back of the washing machine
Living room
Common repairs in the living room might be to the:
- boiler - the boiler is a large, wall mounted unit that controls your heating. Often white, with small screen and panel on the front. It can also be found in the kitchen, or in its own cupboard
- room thermostat - the thermostat is a small wall mounted dial or digital display at head height. It links with your boiler to control your heating
- gas fire - your gas fire will be wall mounted at knee height. It will have a metal grill on the front, protecting you from the heating elements behind
- radiator - you will find radiators throughout your house. Long and, usually, white, they run parallel to the floor at a low level and provide heat
- radiator valve - a small knob that can be found by the bottom corner of a radiator. It's used to control the heat of the radiator, or to turn it off and on
Doors
Common repairs to doors might be to the:
- frame - the section built into the wall around a door that the door fits into when closed
- door glass - some doors have glass panels, similar to a window
- door closer - a weighted hinge in the top corner of a door on the hinged side. It makes sure a door closes behind you and is a fire safety feature
- threshold - the panel running along the bottom of a doorway, transitioning from one room to another
- weatherboard - on a door to the outside, a weatherboard is the section at the bottom of the door frame on the outside, it's usually slightly sloping to stop rain from getting in
Gutters and drainpipes
If there are signs of damp inside your home on walls that face the exterior, you may have an issue with your gutters or drainpipes. The issue could be with the:
- gutter - the gutter runs the length of the house, under the bottom edge of the roof. It catches rainwater run off
- downpipe - the downpipe is the pipe leading from the gutter to ground level, it drains the gutter
- soil pipe - the soil pipe carries the wastewater from your home to the sewage network. It should be a closed system, going underground
- hopper - a hopper is a large opening at the top of a downpipe, it helps to increase water flow in periods of heavy rainfall
- gully - a gully is a small outside drain that your downpipe or greywater waste pipes may run into. It's often covered by a grate
- manhole - the manhole is where your drainage connects to the wider network. It is covered by a heavy metal cover
Pipework and plumbing
If there are signs of damp or leaks inside your home on walls or ceilings that face the interior, you may have an issue with your pipework or plumbing. Common repairs to pipework and plumbing might be to the:
- water tank - water tanks store water in your home. They're usually in a loft or cupboard
- overflow - the overflow is a small pipe that carries excess water from your water tank, sink or bath, outside the house
- water pipes - water pipes can be found running along the top or bottom of a wall, and in between walls themselves. In areas where they are exposed, they will usually have been painted to blend in
Toilet
Common repairs to the toilet might be to the:
- cistern - the small tank above the toilet bowl, often ceramic. It houses the flushing system of the toilet and often has the flush attached to it
- overflow - a small pipe that goes from the cistern to the wall and carries excess water from the cistern to the outside
- flush pipe - the pipe that goes from the cistern to the toilet bowl and carries water from the cistern to the toilet when you flush
- supply pipe - the pipe that comes from your water tank or mains and goes into the cistern to refill it
- soil pipe - the pipe that carries wastewater from the toilet when you flush, it will go from the toilet bowl down into the floor
Sink
Common repairs to the sink might be to the:
- seal - the joining where the top of the sink basin meets the wall, designed to be waterproof and watertight
- waste - the pipe that leads from the sink plughole and carries away waste water
- pedestal - the section below the sink that covers the waste pipe
Windows
Common repairs to windows might be to the:
- fastener - the latch that allows you to open or close your window
- stay - the metal arm that allows you to prop a window open
- trickle vent - a small sliding vent on the top of a window frame, that can be opened to improve airflow without opening the window
- sash cord or weights - some of our properties have traditional sash windows that slide up and down to open and close. The pulley system that allows them to do this uses a sash cord and weights. If you have issues with your sash window - it could be because one of these elements needs repairing