Major Maintenance and Repairs

• Our Commitment to You
• How You Can Help Us to Progress the Works
• Central Heating Installation
• Rewiring Your Home
• Kitchen and Bathroom Refurbishment

Prior to major works commencing in your home our Tenant Liaison Officer will visit you to conduct a brief consultation, describe to you the work to be carried out and answer any questions which you may have.

The work will be carried out between:

• Monday to Thursday: 8am and 5pm
• Friday: 8am - 4.30pm

Our commitment to you

We will:

1. Respect our tenants' use and enjoyment of their homes during the works and aim to minimise noise and disruption as far as possible, especially in areas that are not having any work done.
2. Provide proper protection to tenants' carpets and furnishings and other property during the works, by the provision of dust sheets. All doors will be closed during preparation works and drilling to minimise dust.
3. Tidy up rooms that they have been working in, clear away debris and surplus materials so that your home is left clean and tidy at the end of each working day.
4. Keep tenants informed about the work which will be taking place in their home. There will be days during the programme when no work is being carried out in your home or when we will be in your home for only part of a day. We will make every effort to advise you of days when no work will take place.
5. Prepare a photographic record of your home prior to the start of the works, where applicable.
6. Advise tenants when the various trades will be starting and finishing their work.
7. Keep to agreed appointments. Tenants will be informed immediately if appointments need to be changed, with the reason for the delay, and a new appointment will be made.
8. Ensure that homes are kept secure by keeping the entrance doors shut whilst working. ID badges and clothing displaying Oxford City Council's logo will be issued, so that site staff are clearly identifiable.
9. Liaise with tenants to resolve any problems and take note of any feedback. Immediate matters of concern will be discussed with tenants as they arise, in conjunction with the Tenant Liaison Officer.
10. Follow the agreed procedures for noting and responding to tenants' comments and/or complaints.
11. Ask you to complete a survey after the works have finished, which will give you an opportunity to feed back to us about the work we have done in your home and help us to improve the service we provide to our tenants.

Some of these requirements are part of a Service Standard.

How you can help us to progress the works

Please ensure that you:

1. Keep to agreed appointments and allow access to the agreed areas when requested. Arrangements as to the availability of keys, etc. should be agreed with our Tenant Liaison Officer. Days when access will not be possible, such as holidays, etc. should also be notified to our Tenant Liaison Officer as soon as possible before work on your home is due to start.
2. Securely store all breakables and valuables during the works.
3. Contact our Tenant Liaison Officer if you are elderly or disabled and require assistance with the preparation of your home prior to works commencing, so that we can make the necessary arrangements for you.
4. Make certain that children and pets are not left unattended whilst works are progressing within your home.
5. Try not to make judgements part way through the process, but wait to see the finished product, as mistakes and incidents sometimes happen during construction work.
6. Follow the agreed liaison and communication procedures for dealing with any comments and/or complaints, to ensure that the appropriate action is efficiently taken. Each tenant will be provided with this information leaflet containing contact numbers. Initial contact for advice and information should be via our Tenant Liaison Officer, not the operatives working within your home.

Central Heating Installation

Duration

Your central heating installation will take approximately five working days to complete.

Please take note of the following important points

• We may need to lift floorboards and/or carpets. The floorboards will be re-secured and fitted carpets will be placed back down but not re-fitted.
• When plumbing work is taking place in your home it will be necessary, at certain times, to turn off your water supply. This will only be for the shortest amount of time possible in order to complete the works.
• When electrical or gas work is taking place we will need to switch off your electricity/gas supply for safety reasons. This will only be for the shortest amount of time possible in order to complete the works.
• At the end of every working day we will ensure that you are left with your essential services: power and lighting to all rooms, hot and cold water to your bathroom and/or kitchen, and a working toilet.
• It is not Council policy to re-decorate walls, box in, or paint exposed pipework, but any exposed redundant screw holes or holes drilled to accommodate pipes through walls etc., will be made good to a standard for future decoration.

How you can help us to progress the works

Please ensure that you:

• Remove all items of furniture from the areas that the new radiators and proposed pipes are to be positioned.
• Ensure that your airing cupboard is emptied, as we will need to access your hot water cylinder.

Rewiring Your Home

Duration

Re-wiring your home will take approximately five working days to complete.

Please take note of the following important points

• We may need to lift floorboards and/or carpets. The floorboards will be re-secured and fitted carpets will be placed back down but not re-fitted.
• We will need to chase out your walls where necessary to accommodate the new wiring and this can create a lot of dust. We will re-plaster but not redecorate.
• When electrical work is taking place we will need to switch off your electricity supply for safety reasons. This will only be for the shortest amount of time possible in order to complete the works.
• At the end of every working day we will ensure that you are left with your essential services: power and lighting to all rooms, hot and cold water to your bathroom and/or kitchen, and a working toilet.

How you can help us to progress the works

Please ensure that you:

• Move your furniture and belongings away from the existing electrical sockets and switches throughout your entire home.

Kitchen and Bathroom Refurbishment

Duration

Each element of work (i.e. kitchen or bathroom refurbishments or re-wiring etc.) will take approximately five working days to complete and our Tenant Liaison Officer will discuss this with you in further detail.

Please take note of the following important points

• When plumbing work is taking place in your home it will be necessary, at certain times, to turn off your water supply. This will only be for the shortest amount of time possible in order to complete the works.
• When electrical or gas work is taking place we will need to switch off your electricity/gas for safety reasons. This will only be for the shortest amount of time possible in order to complete the works.
• The refurbishment of your home will involve rewiring where necessary to comply with the latest electrical regulations.
• At the end of every working day we will ensure that you are left with your essential services: power and lighting to all rooms, hot and cold water to your bathroom and/or kitchen, and a working toilet.

How you can help us to progress the works

Please ensure that you:

• Remove all items from your entire kitchen (except for large appliances such as washing machines) before we arrive to commence work.

Property refurbishment, planned and cyclical works for private residents and businesses

If you are a private resident, business or organisation and would like more information about our commercial property refurbishment services please visit our Oxford Direct Services website.

Page last reviewed 1 March 2012