We provide a 24 hour repairs service to our tenants. The main aims of the service are to:
- respond quickly to reports of disrepair
- provide a value for money service
- make sure the timescales for repairs are clear and are met
- deliver a service that is flexible and reflects customers needs
- meet legal obligations
We also run a Housing Improvement Programme of ongoing maintenance which specifically deals with improving homes over a period of time and relates to works such as window replacement and central heating upgrades. The programme is planned in advance every year. You will be notified if your home is going to be included in any of the programmes or you can check what work is planned for your home in any of our neighbourhood housing offices.
Council or tenant responsibility
The responsibility for repairs to Council houses is shared between the Council and the tenant. In essence, the Council is responsible for maintaining the fabric and permanent fittings of the building, while the tenant is responsible for internal decoration and removable fittings. If you are unsure please ask your Housing Officer or contact the repairs helpline.
In cases where the tenant has caused damage to the house which is then reported as a repair, the Council will usually do the repair but the tenant will be asked to pay for the work.
Reporting a repair
You can telephone our repairs line on 01563 555555, complete an online repairs request form or call in at your local customer service centre during office hours.
You will be asked for your name, address, and the nature of the repair. You will also need to tell us when we can get access to your home. In most cases we won’t need to inspect the repair first and you will be offered an appointment for the repair to be carried out. If we do need to carry out an inspection you will be offered an appointment for the inspection to carried out.
If you need to report a repair outwith office hours please contact our emergency helpline 0345 724 0000.
Repairs timescales
The timescale depends on the type of repair. To help us deal with the most urgent repairs first we have three timescales that cover all types of repairs.
Emergency - within 2 hours
Emergency repairs are classed as “turn up and make safe” where we will remove the cause of the emergency immediately.
Urgent (priority) - within 24 hours
Urgent priority repairs are where the welfare of the resident or the fabric of the property could be compromised if left unattended.
Loss or partial loss of heating or hot water (where no alternative is available) is deemed a qualifying repair under the right to repair legislation. We are required to respond to the repair by the end of the next working day following the date that the repair was reported. More details can be found within our advice on gas maintenance, servicing and installation leaflet.
Urgent (non-priority) - within 3 working days
Urgent repairs with lower priority where immediate fixes are not applicable but when failure to attend to the defect could result in a fairly rapid deterioration of the fabric of the building or where the convenience of the tenant is significantly compromised.
Routine - within agreed timescale
Routine maintenance addresses the more routine repair and maintenance work and is appointed to be carried out within one of two timescales:
- 25 working days
- 50 working days. Any other tasks, for example, those with weather dependency or requiring to be grouped to form a programme of work, are likely to be treated over longer periods and normally within 50 working days. Tenants will be notified when the repair has been programmed and with a date that the work will be carried out.
Right to repair
From 30 September 2002, under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, Scottish Secure Tenants and Short Scottish Secure Tenants have the right to have small urgent repairs carried out by East Ayrshire Council within a given timescale. This is called the Right to Repair scheme and it applies to all tenants.