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Your questions answered
Which repairs will Oxford City Homes do under the conditions of the Tenancy Agreement?
We are responsible for the outside of your property, the main structure, and any
fixtures or fittings that we have provided inside your home. See Our repair responsibilities.
We will decorate the outside of all our properties, and any shared areas
inside our properties, as part of a planned programme. Before this work
starts, we will carry out any necessary repairs.
Who will carry out the work?
Most repairs are carried out by our own operational staff but some work will
be done by specialist contractors.
Anyone visiting your home on behalf of Oxford City Homes will carry an
identification card, works order or letter from us. Do not let anyone in until
you have seen one of these and are confident that they are genuine. Call
us if you have any doubts. See Warning.
What about damage, vandalism or break-ins?
If a repair is needed because of damage caused by you or someone in
your home, we can carry out the work for you but will charge you for the
work.See Charging for damage. Before we carry out the
work, we will give you an estimate of how much we will charge. You may
decide to get someone else to do it.
If the damage is caused by someone else, you will still be charged for repair
work unless you can supply us with a police crime report number (not an incident
number). You must provide this at the time you report the repair. We may contact the
police to confirm the details of the crime report.
Can I claim for damage to my property?
If any damage is our fault, you may be able to claim for the cost. Write to us giving
full details.
However, you are responsible for the decoration inside your home and
for your own belongings, carpets, fittings, etc. You should take out home
contents insurance to cover these things in case they are damaged or
stolen. See Tenants’ home contents insurance.
Our repair responsibilities
For tenants.
We are responsible for repairing and maintaining the
structure of the property you live in and any garage
attached to it. This includes all the outside parts and
any inside fixtures and fittings that we have provided.
However, it does not include items that are listed as your
responsibility to repair as part of the Tenancy Agreement,
items that we agreed were your responsibility at the
beginning of your tenancy, or certain items under the
Tenants Choice Schemes when we refurbish your council
home.
‘Tenants’ Choice When We Refurbish the Kitchen/Bathroom in Your Council Home’
We are also responsible for pipes, wiring, appliances and fittings for heating, drainage, power and lighting, and smoke detection.
We are also responsible for any shared areas or facilities.
We look after any open area we own around your home but not the private part of your garden. We also repair brick outhouses and timber sheds we have provided, unless provided under the Choice for New Tenants Scheme. We maintain the main steps and paths that lead to the front or back doors, and any fences or boundary walls owned by the Council.
For furnished lettings.
We are responsible for providing high-quality items and ensuring that they are installed or fitted properly and meet current safety requirements. We are responsible for carrying out periodic checks on these items and repairing them. If you move to another Oxford City Council home, you must take all items except carpets to your new home but you must pay any cooker disconnection and reconnection fees. Note: you cannot change your cooker from gas to electric, or visa versa. If you move to another social rented home, you must leave all furnished tenancy items at your old council address.
Gas safety and servicing
- We are responsible for carrying out a yearly gas safety check in every Oxford City Council home property that has a gas supply, and for servicing once a year any gas appliances we provide in your home. You should let us know if, for any reason, you have not had a safety check in the last 12 months. See Repair standards.
- If you do not allow us into your home to carry out safety checks, you are breaking the conditions of your Tenancy Agreement. If necessary, we will take legal action to allow us to enter your home. We will charge you for any costs involved.
- You may have a digital programmer in your home which counts the days since your boiler was last serviced. It must be serviced within 365 days of the last service. The programmer warns you when you have 30 days left. If you do not let us in to do the service before the last day, your heating and hot water temperatures will automatically reduce. See Drayton programmer.
- If you have any air vents in your home, you must not paint over them and make sure that they do not get blocked.
If you have applied to buy your home
Once we have approved your application to buy your home, we will only do repairs that are necessary to keep your home safe and secure. After you have bought your home, you will be responsible for all repairs, but if you have bought a flat and become a leaseholder, we will continue to repair the structure of the building and you will contribute to the cost of this through charges we make to you.
