If you are a social housing tenant, these are WECH’s repairing obligations:

Keeping in good repair the structure and exterior of its properties and the interiors of the tenanted properties. Interior work may include:

• The roof, chimney and external flues, external walls, window sills, window catches, sash cords and window frames, including the necessary external painting and decorating;
• Internal walls, skirting boards, doors and door frames, hinges, locks, door jambs, thresholds, letter boxes, door handles, floors and ceilings, plaster work (not painting and decorating).
• Keeping in good repair and proper working order installations for the supply of water, gas and electricity, for sanitation and for space and water heating. This may include: basins, sinks, baths, toilets, flushing systems, drains and waste pipes where fitted by WECH;
• Electric wiring, gas and water pipes and taps;
• Water and space heaters, fireplaces and fitted fires where fitted by WECH;
• Sockets and light fittings where fitted by WECH, but excluding plugs, bulbs, fluorescent tubes and starters.
• Keeping in reasonable repair all gates, fences, boundary walls, steps, footpaths, ramps and garages, if provided by WECH.

Repairs for Which Tenants Are Responsible:

• Internal decorations, including making good any minor cracks in plaster.
• Replacing keys lost by the tenant, replacing plugs and chains, shower heads, hoses and other bathroom fittings such as toilet roll holders and toilet seats, fluorescent tubes and starters, replacing washing lines and bleeding the radiators.
• Maintaining the garden including dustbins and refuse areas (excluding communal areas).
• Taking reasonable precautions to prevent damage to the property by fire, frost, the bursting of water pipes or the blocking of drains, and clearing any sink blockages.
• Any fittings, appliances or alterations supplied or carried out by the tenant, including TV aerials, plumbing in washing machines and dishwashers and adapting doors to accommodate carpets.
• Any repairs caused by neglect, wilful damage or forced entry if the tenant gets locked out remain the legal responsibility of WECH, but the tenant should be recharged for the full cost of these works, plus a fee for administration.

WECH cannot be responsible for all repairs around the tenant’s home.  WECH expects tenants to take responsibility for a range of minor and decorative jobs, such as the above.

WECH expects staff to use common sense when deciding whether it would be appropriate to undertake work for which the tenant would normally be responsible. This particularly relates to some elderly and vulnerable tenants who will may need special consideration.