Your right to repair
A Right to Repair scheme was introduced for council tenants from 1 April 1994.
It will make sure that certain small, urgent repairs that might affect your health, safety or security, are done quickly and easily. Chesterfield Borough Council has to, by law, carry out these repairs within a certain time.
If we don't do the repair in time, you can tell us to get another contractor instead. If the second contractor doesn't do the repair in time, we will pay you compensation. We will tell you what repairs come under the new scheme and how long we have to carry them out. Repair times vary depending on the type of repair. For example, if your toilet isn't flushing, we usually have one working day to come to repair it. We have three working days to mend a loose banister rail and seven working days to mend a broken extractor fan in your bathroom or kitchen.
What repairs can you get done?
You can get certain small urgent repairs done (up to the value of £250) if they are likely to affect your health, safety or security. These are called qualifying repairs.
What are qualifying repairs?
- Blocked flue to open fire or boiler
- Blocked bath, sink or basin
- Door entry phone not working
- Total or partial loss of gas supply
- Total or partial loss of space or water heating
- Leaking from water or heating pipe, tank or cistern
- Leaking roof
- Kitchen or bathroom mechanical extractor fan not working
- Partial or total loss of electrical power
- Unsafe power or lighting socket or electrical fitting
- Loose or detached banister or hand rail
- Rotten timber flooring or stair tread
- Insecure external window, door or lock
- Tap which cannot be turned
- Total or partial loss of water supply
- Non flushing or blocked toilet, leaking foul drain or soil stack – where there is no other working toilet in the dwelling
How can you get your repairs done?
You should tell us what repairs need to be done. We may need to send someone to your home to check the problem first. If the repair comes under the Right to Repair scheme, we will tell a contractor to do it in the set time. We will also send you details of the repair notice we send to the contractor.
The details will show you:
- the name, address and telephone number of the contractor who will do the repair
- the arrangements made for the contractor to do the repair (the date and time)
- what the repair is
- when the repair should be done by
You must let the council know if you will not be at home to let the contractor in.
How long has the council got to carry out these repairs?
This depends on the type of repair you need, but we can always tell you how long it should take. Qualifying repair times are set by law – not by Chesterfield Borough Council.
What happens if the first contractor doesn't do your repair in time?
If the first contractor doesn't do your repair in time, you should phone us and tell us to get a second contractor to carry out the work.
Unless there is a good reason why the work hasn't been done, we will get a second contractor. The second contractor then has the same amount of time to do the repair as the first one had.
Compensation
If the second contractor doesn't do the repair in time, you will get £10 in compensation. For every extra day you wait, you will get another £2. The most compensation you will get for any one job is £50. We will pay your compensation – unless you already owe us some money. If you do owe money to Chesterfield Borough Council, we will take away the amount you owe from your compensation.
