St Michael Housing will work with the tenants to help with hazards in their properties. Tenants are encouraged to notify the Society of any issues, at their earliest convenience. Tenants will always be treated with respect and empathy.
St Michael Housing has adopted a zero tolerance, risk based approach to hazards and will ensure that it avoids actions that solely place the onus on the resident of the property.
St Michael Housing will support residents in cases where structural interventions are not appropriate and ensure they will take all reasonable steps to resolve any issue and will ensure that responses to hazard complaints are timely and reflect the urgency of the issue.
St Michael Housing will ensure that employees have sufficient knowledge and can identify and will report early stages of any hazards or maintenance including damp and mould complaints. St Michael Housing shall always ensure that the employee assigned to investigate is competent to do so.
St Michael Housing does not employ an in-house maintenance team so therefore all works carried out are solely dependance on the availability of materials and sub-contractors.
Landlord responsibilities.
Landlord will take responsibility for resolving the issues. Any complaint received or issue uncovered will be overseen by a named member of staff.
If a general maintenance request is received, the member of staff will aim to take steps for remedial work as soon as possible and subject to availability of materials and sub-contractors.
Landlord will investigate potential emergency hazards* within 24 hours of receiving notification.
Landlords will investigate potential significant hazards** within 10 days of being notified.
The initial investigation can be carried out remotely. If the hazard is deemed ‘significant’ or ‘emergency’, the member of staff shall provide a written summary of investigation within 3 working days of conclusion of the investigation, by email or post. The summary shall include if the hazard is ‘significant’ or ‘emergency’, what the action will be, and the timeframe for the action. The summary will also include if ‘no action’ will be taken, and why.
If an ‘emergency’ hazard is uncovered, the landlord shall endeavour to take steps to resolve the issue as soon as possible usually within 24 hours.
If a ‘significant’ hazard is uncovered, the landlord shall endeavour to take steps to begin safety work within 5 working days of conclusion of investigation – subject to availability of materials and sub-contractors – maximum deadline to start will be 12 weeks. Work will be concluded within a reasonable timescale.
If necessary, the tenant can ask for a site visit after the initial investigation, and this shall be done within 10 days of the request.
The member of staff will keep accurate and timely records of visits and interventions adopted. Follow up appointments are made and kept.
Independent and suitably qualified engineers will be used in necessary cases. All recommendations will be acted upon in a timely manner.
Where extensive works are to be required and if works cannot be completed within a reasonable timescale, St Michael Housing will consider individual circumstances of the household and whether it is or not appropriate to move tenants out of their home at an early stage.
The tenant shall be kept updated throughout the process and will be provided with information on how to keep safe if applicable.
Tenants have the right to complain using the complaints process and/or the Housing Ombudsman to help resolve disputes.
The Landlord will endeavour to take all reasonable steps to adhere to the above timeframes but have a defence if unable to comply due to reasons beyond its control.
The above measures shall apply to the following:
- be a part of buildings or land for which the landlord is responsible – home/land/garden/communal areas
b) be in the landlord’s control to fix
c) not be damage that is a result of breach of contract by the tenant
d) result from defects, disrepair or lack of maintenance
e) be a significant or emergency hazard
*For this policy the term ‘emergency hazard’ is a hazard that poses an imminent risk of harm to the individual. These include, but not limited to the following:
- gas leaks
- total loss of water supply
- electrical hazards such as exposed wiring
- significant leaks
- broken external doors or windows that present a risk to home security
- prevalent damp and/or mould that is having a material impact on a tenant’s health, for example their ability to breathe
- significant structural defects or disrepair
** For this policy the term ‘significant hazard’ is a hazard that poses a significant risk of harm to the individual. Depending on the tenants’ individual circumstances, a ‘significant hazard’ could also be an ‘emergency hazard’. The landlord shall determine this based on knowledge and information held on the tenant.