How to report a communal repair

All repairs that the TMO may need to carry out should be reported in the first place through the Customer Service Centre (CSC). A freephone number exists for this purpose (0800 13711) and the phones are manned from 9am to 5pm. Outside those hours the Community Alarm Service (CAS) people will take these calls and deal with the repairs.

When you report a repair please provide your name and address and a phone number, then details of the repair you are reporting. Explain that you are a leaseholder (or freeholder) and that the repair is a communal repair. The CSC or CAS staff member will be able to confirm if this is so.

What should happen next?

The CSC/CAS staff member will be able to confirm how soon a response you should expect, and will place an order for the repair or arrange for a Maintenance Inspector to visit and see what is required. This may entail visiting your property itself, depending on the repair and remedy.

Before you let anyone into your home to carry out a repair or inspection or any utility servicing, you should check their identity card and works order to ensure they are genuine.

If an appointment to see you or to carry out the repair is necessary, convenient times will be discussed with you. This may be for a morning (8am – 1pm) or an afternoon (12am – 5pm) on a specific day. Alternatively the contractor may contact you to arrange this.

You will also be sent details of the repair though the post, including your repair order number and any relevant dates.

You need to be aware that if it is an emergency, you must stay in your home until a repair worker arrives if possible, and if the urgency is exaggerated you may be charged an emergency call-out fee. Outside office hours only emergency problems will be responded to.

Response Times

Emergency repairs are responded to within 24 hours. This is for repairs that are necessary to remove immediate danger to people and avoid major damage to the property, flooding, or to make the property secure.

Urgent 1 rated repairs are responded to within 3 working days. This is for work that needs to be done urgently to prevent immediate damage to the property or where there is a health and safety or security risk.

Urgent 2 rated repairs will be responded to within 7 working days. This is for work that needs to be done quickly to overcome serious inconvenience to residents, and includes follow-up work from emergency repairs.

It may also be the case that repairs are extensive enough to become major works repairs, rather than minor repairs. Please see the booklet entitled Major Works within this leaseholder handbook for a description of these.

What if I am not happy with the repair or its progress?

You should contact the CSC again and ask for a progress report, or detail your complaint. In that case please also provide details to your TMO/EMB Officer, including who you have spoken to before and when.

Alternatively you can contact your TMO/EMB Officer who will chase progress up for you or deal with your complaints.