Repairs and maintenance policy

There are some circumstances where the standard repairs and maintenance service may not be provided and these include:

Right to Buy

Under the Housing Act 1985 (as amended) most secure tenants have the right to buy their property providing they occupy the property as their only or main home and meet the qualifying period and other requirements.

Once a tenant has applied to purchase their Council property under the Right to Buy legislation, we will only carry out emergency or urgent works to the property. These include:

• Repairing and maintaining the structure and exterior of the property
• Heating and hot water appliances
• Pipes and wiring within the property

We will only place repair orders for repairs that are required by legislation. Repairs that are not required by legislation will not be ordered or completed.

Properties that are subject to a Right to Buy application will also be excluded from planned maintenance and improvement programmes. The only exception to this is when works are planned to be carried out to a communal item or area, which the Council will retain responsibility for repairing after the sale of a flat or maisonette takes place.

Once a house is sold under the Right to Buy, the new owner becomes responsible for all repairs and maintenance.

Once a flat or maisonette is sold under the Right to Buy, the leaseholder becomes responsible for all internal and non-structural repairs whilst the Council retains responsibility for the exterior and structure of the building and any shared areas, items or services. The leaseholder will be required to contribute to any works carried out to these items.

Mutual exchange

In accordance with the Housing Act 1985, secure tenants have the right to exchange their properties with another council or housing association tenant, providing each party obtains their landlord’s written agreement. A mutual exchange is an assignment of the tenant's existing secure tenancy and a fresh tenancy is not created as a result of any assignment. Where there has been a breach of tenancy regarding an unauthorised alteration or the property is not in suitable condition subject to normal wear and tear, then the outgoing tenant is required to return the property back to the state it was let at. Any required outstanding works is likely to stop the mutual exchange going ahead.

Tenants who move home via a mutual exchange take the property as seen, and all of the outgoing tenant's responsibilities will pass to the incoming tenant. Any other repairs that arise after the mutual exchange has taken place will be dealt with in accordance with this policy. Please see the Mutual Exchange Policy for further information.