Property Letting Standard - Our Service Standards

Our 'Property Letting Standard - Our Service Standards' leaflet sets out the standard of repair and cleanliness that you can expect from your new home.  It also tells you about our service standards and how you can help us deliver the service promised.

You can download the leaflet (pdf file 132kb) or view the text from the leaflet below.

Our promise to you

• Internal repairs
• External repairs
• Decoration
• Cleanliness

Your Responsibilities

Are we meeting the service standards

Our promise to you

We will provide information on the property letting standard:

• on our website at www.rbhousing.org.uk .
• from your housing officer or at any local housing office or Council customer service centre.

We will meet all statutory and health and safety obligations, specifically:

Internal Repairs

          

• All gas and electrical installations will be checked and comply with current gas and electrical regulations.

• All windows and doors will be capable of opening and closing freely and be latched or locked. A minimum of 2 keys will be supplied for each ‘key operated’ lockable opening.

• An adequate form of heating and hot water will be provided. Thermal insulation will be provided (loft insulation, cylinder jacket and pipe lagging as a minimum).

• A smoke alarm will be provided, in full working order, in a location suitable to  the type of property.

• Intruder/ panic alarms (if supplied) will be in working order.

• Kitchens will be in good condition with doors and drawers operating effectively.

• Baths, wash hand basins and toilets will be in good condition.  Sanitary fittings will only be renewed if it is not possible to adequately clean or repair them.

• Floors and stairs will be repaired/replaced where damaged.

• Any areas of defective plasterwork identified during pre-inspection will be replastered.

• All broken windows will be reglazed.

External Repairs

• Walls and roofs will be free of defects likely to cause dampness.

• Guttering, downspouts, wastepipes and grid covers will be intact.

• Outbuildings will be secure.

• Footpaths will be free of any trips.

• Front fencing (where supplied) will be intact and in a good state of repair.

Note: Because of theft and vandalism it may not be possible to comply with items 2 to 5 before you move in but you will be notified of the work to be carried out and the timescale for completing the work.

Decoration

All properties will be in reasonable decorative order or be capable of being brought up to a reasonable standard by you through the use of decorating vouchers.

In extreme situations only, where properties are in poor decorative order and the scale of work required is excessive, properties will either be prepared for redecoration by removal of ceiling and wall coverings or redecorated.

Issues we will take into account when determining decorative condition are:

• Wallpaper torn or removed
• Wallpaper affected by mould growth
• Wallpaper dirty, marked or faded
• Graffiti
• Damaged and / or discoloured paintwork

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Cleanliness

Stage 1- Clearing and cleaning the property when the outgoing tenant leaves.

The following work will be carried out when the property becomes empty:

• All waste and rubbish will be removed from within the dwelling and from the garden areas

• All floors will be swept

• Outbuildings will be cleared and swept

• Wheelie bins will be emptied, cleaned and secured inside the outbuilding or property

Stage 2 - Carrying out any necessary repairs and then clearing and cleaning the property ready for you to move in

• Any builders' debris will be removed from the site immediately upon completion of all required repairs and the following work carried out.

• All floors will be mopped, disinfected and fragranced.

• Carpeted areas will be cleaned in furnished properties.

• Walls and ceilings will be washed down where required and loose wallpaper will be removed.

• All woodwork will be cleaned with detergent.

• Windows will be washed internally on all floors and externally on ground floor.

• Window sills will be wiped down.

• All sanitary fittings will be cleaned with detergent and sanitised.

• All kitchen units will be cleaned internally and externally, including worktops.

• Paths will be swept.

• Any further accumulations of waste will be removed from the garden areas.

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Your Responsibilities

It is your responsibility to:

• maintain your home in a good state of cleanliness, decorative order and repair.

• report necessary repairs promptly. The 24 hour Repairs Call Centre telephone number is 0845 076 3636. For more information refer to the Repairs Service Agreement or contact your local housing office (as listed on the back page) or visit www.rbhousing.org.uk .

• leave your home and its fixtures and fittings in a clean and tidy condition and, except for fair wear and tear, in good repair when your tenancy ends.

• remove all your belongings from the property when your tenancy ends.

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Are we meeting the service standards set out above?

If you think we haven't met the property letting standards set out above please e-mail us to let us know where we are going wrong and how you think we can improve our service.

 

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