Social Landlord Service: Rechargeable repairs policy
4. Emergency repairs including out of hours work
4.Emergency repairs including out of hours work
- 4.1.Working hours are defined as 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, evenings, weekends and bank holidays are all classed as outside working hours.
- Emergency repairs are anything where time or health safety and security are the most important aspects to protect the property or the occupier. This also includes repairs the Council is obliged to carry out under 'Right to Repair' legislation.
- 4.2.Emergency works will consist of the following:
- making a dwelling safe and secure following fire, flood, impact or forced entry to ensure there is no risk of injury to the residents, neighbours, visitors or passers-by
- undertaking work to restore essential services to a property in the event of unexpected failure to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the residents
- making a dwelling safe to minimize further damage to the property, or neighbouring premises
- Examples of the above will include:
- insecure external door/window
- loose or detached banister/handrail
- WC not flushing (where only one WC)
- leaking water or heating pipe, tank or cistern that cannot be contained
- total or partial loss of water, heating or electricity
- blocked WC, foul drain or stack
- blocked flue to open fire or boiler
- any gas related emergency
- exposed live or sparking electrical cables
- damaged fire door
- This is not an exhaustive list.
- 4.3.If the need for a repair is due to the damage and or actions or inaction of the tenant or leaseholder (deliberate or accidental), the emergency repair will be rechargeable.
- 4.4.Where a repair is required as a result of criminal damage, the tenant will be responsible for the costs of making safe the property and repairing the damage unless the tenant:
- advises when reporting the repair that the need for the repair was the result of criminal damage
- reports the damage to the police and provides the Council with a police incident number
- 4.5.Where damage to a door or window is caused by the emergency services forcing entry to the property, the cost of the repairs will be rechargeable unless:
- access was gained because of a medical or emergency
- access was made in error
- Decisions to waive a recharge made in accordance with paragraphs 4.4 and 4.5 above will be made in accordance with appeals section 14.
- 4.6.Where our contractors have visited a property to carry out a standard (non emergency) repair and discover the work is rechargeable, for example a broken sink the repair will not be undertaken. The tenant will be advised that the repair is rechargeable and the estimated costs of the repair will be provided.
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Last modified on 24 September 2025
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