South Derbyshire District Council - Repairs

The information on this page will advise you of the services we provide and the level of service you can expect from us.

Repairs and Improvements Team

The Repairs and Improvement Team is responsible for undertaking the majority of repairs and improvement to your home, and spends approximately £5m each year. From gas servicing to kitchen and bathroom replacements our team is available to offer advice and undertake all works that we are responsible for.

Our aim is to provide all tenants with a decent home and one which provides a safe and healthy environment to live in.

To help us achieve this we work in partnership with both local and national contractors, together with our own tradesman. This ensures a seamless maintenance service to meet our obligations to maintain and improve your home.

Repairs Priorities

When you contact us with a repair request we prioritise it in terms of how dangerous or urgent it is. We will inform you that the repair will be carried out in either 24 hours, 3 days or 20 days.

Where possible we always book an appointment with you when you first contact us.

The more urgent the repair the quicker we commit to completing it. Having a range of priorities helps us plan the work and ensure all repairs are carried out in a timely fashion.

Tenant Involvement in the Repairs Service

We work closely with tenants who represent your interests on the Home Standards Panel. This group meets every two months to discuss items such as standards of work, to analyse performance and to recommend improvements to the service.

If you are interested in contributing to this group or feel you have a particular idea that may improve our service to you please get in touch with our tenant participation officers on 01283 595788 or tp@south-derbys.gov.uk .

Your responsibilities

Before reporting a repair – please check your responsibility as a tenant. Repairs that you are responsible for are listed below:

Bathroom / Kitchen plugs and chains
Door number or name plates (unless we have fitted a homesafe door)
Door bells (unless we have provided the unit)
Outside door locks if you have broken the lock or lost the keys
Spare keys
Glass in doors or screens (unless caused by vandalism or crime)
Internal door locks
Electrical plugs
Fuses on plugs, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes and starters
Supply of electricity in conjunction with providers
Electric appliances or systems fitted or belonging to you
Fire tools
Plug in electric fires(unless supplied by us)
Any heating systems or appliances fitted by you
Cookers
Clothes pulley
Washing machine fittings (unless provided by us)
Fencing between properties
Green houses
Garden sheds
Outbuildings (unless provided by us)
Pigeon lofts
Rotary dryers (unless provided by us in communal areas)
Inside decoration excluding communal areas
Floor coverings (unless provided by us)
Damage caused by a tenant, members of the household or invited guests
Repairs that result from misuse or negligence

If you are reporting damage caused by others it is a requirement that you reports this to the Police first and that the police crime incident log number is passed on to the duty officer before the repairs are put in hand.

We will respond to repair requests where damage has been caused accidentally by tenants, e.g. broken window glass, but the tenant should be aware that this work will be charged to them.

Report a repair

If your repair is not in the list above, then you can report it by contacting Housing services by visiting civic offices during office hours, by using our online form or by telephone 01283 595808/595809.

If your repair is an emergency and it is outside office hours, please phone Careline on 01283 225810.

Please note Housing services will recharge you for any repairs that are due to wilful damage, neglect or accident etc caused by yourself, household member or visitor.

You can find the guide to repairs in the related documents section.

Contact details

South Derbyshire District Council
Housing Section
Civic Offices
Civic Way
Swadlincote
Derbyshire
DE11 0AH

Tel: 01283 595808/595809
Fax: 01283 595852
Online: contact form
email: repairs@south-derbys.gov.uk

Page ref: LGSL 141

Repairs - council property