[Areas of Responsibility] [Repair Work] [Right to Repair] [Decoration] [Disability Adaptations] [Alterations and Improvements] [Condensation and Damp] [Condensation] [Damp] [] Areas of Responsibility Although we will carry out most repairs, you also have responsibilities in some areas.
These are as follows:

Item	Who is Responsible	Comments
Bathroom
Bath	Us
Shower unit	Tenant	Unless we provided the unit
Toilet seat	Tenant
Toilet pan	Us
Wash basin	Us
Central Heating
Chimney and flue	Us
Chimney sweeping	Tenant
Coal bunker	Us
Electric storage system	Us
Fireplace tiles	Tenant
Gas fired system with radiators	Us	Including gas fires if they are fitted
Solid fuel system	Us
Doors
Door bell	Tenant
Door chain	Us
Inside doors	Tenant	Including handles and locks
Outside doors	Us	Including doors to flats in communal areas
Keys
Mortice locks	Us	Unless you lose the keys you will be responsible for the costs of replacing locks
Night latch (Yale type) locks	Us	Unless you lose the keys you will be responsible for the costs of replacing locks
Structure
Ceilings	Us
Damp-proof course	Us
Floors	Us	Except carpets, vinyl and so on
Outside woodwork
Roughcast plastering	Us
Skirting boards	Us
Stairs (inside)	Us
Steps to entrance	Us
Walls	Us
Electrical
Communal TV aerial system	Us
Electric Fire	Tenant	Unless we have fitted it
Immersion heater	Us
Individual TV aerial	Tenant
Light fittings	Us	Not including table lamps, fluorescent lights
Plugs	Tenant	Including fuses
Smoke detectors	Us	You are responsible for changing batteries
Sockets	Us
Stair lighting	Us
Switches	Us
Wiring and circuits	Us
Kitchens
Cooker	Tenant	Unless we provide it
Cooker socket	Us
Kitchen units	Us
Sink bowl and drainer	Us
Plumbing
Blocked sink, wash basin, bath or toilet	Tenant
Domestic cold water supply	Us	Including storage tank
Downpipes (rain and soil)	Us
Drains	Us
Gutters	Us
Hot-water supply	Us	Including storage cylinder
Sink plugs and chains	Tenant
Washing machine fittings	Tenant	Unless we have fitted them
Windows
Glass in windows	Tenant	Unless broken by vandals or some similar cause
Sills	Us
Window catches	Us
Window frames	Us
Window handles	Us	Unless you have fitted them
Window locks	Us
Other
Clothes line posts	Us
Fences	Us	Unless you put the fence in
Footpaths	Us
Gates	Us
Inside decoration	Tenant
Outside decoration	Us

These rules do not apply if:

• The repair is needed because you have not taken care of the property or have damaged it. In this case, it is up to you to get the repair done and to pay for it, even if it was an accident. Any repair work must be carried out to a good standard. If Three Rivers carry out the work you will be recharged the cost of the repair.
• If you have applied to buy your home, we will carry out the essential repairs until you have bought it. After that, you are responsible for all repairs. Make sure that you take out a buildings insurance policy to cover the cost of repairing or rebuilding your home if it is structurally damaged (by fire, for example).

You must tell us about any repair that needs doing as soon as you can. [] Repair work
Repairs are carried out by our own staff and approved contractors. Sometimes we will need to inspect a problem before it can be repaired. We also make random inspections from time to time to check that repairs have been carried out satisfactorily. You can help the repairs service work smoothly by:

• Keeping your repair appointments so that our contractors and staff can get on with the job as soon as possible. Missed appointments mean time wasted and unnecessary expense. You could be charged for a wasted call out.
• Sending your satisfaction questionnaire back straight away. The postage is free.

[] Right to repair
Please let us know if a repair is not done within its set timescale. Under the Right to Repair if we fail to do the repair a second time, you can make a claim for compensation. The Right to Repair is a right you have by law. If you wish to make a claim or carry out repair work you should contact our Customer Services team first. [] Decoration
You are responsible for decorating the inside of your home. In properties that have just been built or re-modernised you should not wallpaper for the first year, as the newly plastered walls will need to dry out. We will regularly decorate the outside of your home and any staircases, corridors or hallways shared with other tenants. [] Disability Adaptations
If you or a member of your household suffers from a disability there are a number of ways Three Rivers can try to help.

• We can sometimes install adaptations in your home to make it easier to move around.
• We can give you advice on what the Council Social Service Department can provide - such as home helps, meals on wheels etc.
• We can try to move you to suitable accommodation.

[] Alterations and improvements
You can make alterations or improvements to your home, providing that you have our written permission first. Permission is required for work such as:

• Erection of a new TV aerial
• Installing satellite dishes
• External decorations
• Changes to kitchen units, sinks, baths etc.

The work must be done to a good standard. We would not allow any work that would make your home unsafe or reduce its value. If we do give permission, you may still have to get planning permission and building control approval. Your local council will advise you of what work requires their permission. If you ever move, you may be entitled to compensation for improvements you may have done to your home such as fitting a new kitchen or putting in central heating. The actual amount for compensation you receive will cover what you paid for the work excluding any depreciation for wear and tear. [] Condensation and Damp
Condensation and damp are often confused because they both leave a musty smell. If you think you may have damp or condensation in your home, the first thing you need to do is check that you are [] Condensation
A lot of moisture goes into the air whenever you cook, run a bath or dry clothes in your home. When this moisture meets a cold surface it turns into droplets called "condensation". If this is left mould will start to grow. This usually happens on cold outside walls and surfaces, and in areas where the air does not circulate well. It can damage clothes and furnishings. You can reduce the problem by:

• Wiping moisture away whenever you see it. It may collect on windows over night.
• Keeping a window open if you are drying clothes indoors. Dry them outside whenever possible and only use a tumble drier if it has direct ventilation to the outside.
• Keeping rooms warm, even a low "background" heat will help.
• Ventilate the room. Nobody likes draughts but some air does need to come in and out, so open windows a little until they stop misting up.
• Not using bottled gas or paraffin heaters. They actually produce water in the air and are a fire risk too.
• Not blocking up air vents fitted in your home.

[] Damp
Damp happens when a fault in the basic structure of a building lets in water from the outside. The usual signs are mould, a musty smell and wet patches on the walls or ceiling after rain. If you think your home has damp, contact our Customer Services team. They will arrange for an officer to call at your home to look into the problem. We will carry out any necessary repair work. [Back to Top]