Housing Repairs and maintenance
Here you will find information about repairs, gas safety and long term improvements that the Council is carrying out to its homes. You can also read the Council's easy read leaflet which summarises the main aspects of the service: Easy read guide to repairs
Repairs:
- Responsibility for repairs
- Reporting a repair
- Repair timescales & complaints
- What happens if I miss an appointment with the contractor?
Maintenance:
- What to expect when you move in
- Decoration and Handyman scheme
- Gas safety
- Damp or condensation
- Long term improvements
- Grants - disabled adaptions & energy efficiency
- Moving out - compensation for improvements
Reporting a repair
If you need to report a repair or fault in your property then contact Customer Services immediately to prevent any serious damage occurring.
When reporting the repair, we need your name, address, telephone number and as much information as possible about the problem. We also need to know when you are at home or when you can give access to the contractor doing the work. For the text service text REPAIR (for a new repair) or CHASE (to chase up on a repair) with your surname, first line of your address, when you are available and details of the problem. A reply will sent to confirm an appointment for the work. Eg. REPAIR Smith 65 Tintagle Manor in all day Tuesdays blocked toilet or CHASE Brown 47 Cooke Street repair front door.
You can report a repair in any of the following ways:
- By text: 07881 668706 (see above for instructions)
- Online via the Council's Live Help
- Emergency repairs out of hours: 0845 6341212
- By telephone: 01322 343800
- By fax: 01322 343619
- By mail: Customer Services, Housing Services, Civic Centre, Home Gardens, Dartford, Kent DA1 1DR
- By personal visit to the Civic Centre (opposite the railway station) or telling your Housing Officer, Supported Housing Officer or the Estate Ranger.
Emergency out of hours telephone number
If an emergency occurs outside normal working hours you should telephone the Council's 24 hour emergency service on: 0845 6341212
This service is available to you if there is an immediate danger or risk to you or your home. It may be appropriate to carry out temporary repairs with follow up work being undertaken during normal office hours
What Happens Next?
Provided we have enough information to tell the contractor what needs to be done, an order will be placed. If a Technical Officer needs to look at the problem before an order can be placed, a home visit will normally be made.
How Long Will I Have To Wait?
This will depend on the type of repair needed. You can view the repair timescales page for more information.
If there are any special circumstances which could make your repair more urgent, for example, if you are elderly, disabled or have young children, please tell us when you report the repair
What happens if I miss an appointment with the contractor?
If you are not avaliable when the contractor calls, they will leave a card to say they called.
Please note that after reporting an emergency repair using the out of hours telephone number, you may be charged for the call-out if there is no-one at home when the contractor calls. If the contractor misses the appointment please telephone Customer Services as soon as possible on 01322 343800.
What to expect when you move in - Void Standard
- New Void Standard from December 2004
- You can also read the Council's leaflet: What to expect when you move in
Vacant properties which we let to you will all have been inspected to meet the following minimum standard:
- Floors will be leveled and even - holes will be filled with a leveling compound.
- All properties will have had the electric and gas supplies checked for safety. No water pipes will leak.
- All properties will be cleaned.
- Where they present a hazard, fireplaces will be removed.
- Decorations will be left but if redecorating is required decoration allowances will be awarded.
- Kitchens worktops will be clean and be suitable for food preparation and all match. We will ensure that there is a minimum of 1 wall unit, 1 floor unit and a sink unit will be fitted. Plumbing for washing machines will be the responsibility of the tenant to provide.
- A full copy of the new standard is available upon request from Customer Services (01322 343800)
