Repairs

ROUTINE REPAIRS

From 1 April 2022 people with symptoms of a respiratory infection, including COVID-19, and a high temperature or who feel unwell, to try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until they feel well enough to resume normal activities and they no longer have a high temperature. 

Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test result is advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days, which is when they are most infectious.

If you or your family test positive for COVID-19 and have a repair appointment within five days from the positive test result, please advise Hughes Brothers immediately by contacting 01229 389088 or email barrow@hughesbros.co.uk 

Hughes Brothers will offer you a new appointment for the engineer to return and complete the work when you or your family member test negative for Covid-19.

REPORTING REPAIRS

Here are the numbers you need to report repairs during office and out-of-office hours.  Below this, is our classification of emergency repairs. 

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Classification of Emergency Repairs

Response within 2 hours*

  • Severe flooding
  • Total power failure
  • Insecure property

   Response within 24 hours

  • Follow on work from *

  • Unsafe power or lighting socket

  • Total loss of water supply

  • Partial loss of gas supply

  • Blocked flue to fire/boiler

  • Total loss of heating/hot water (up to May)

  • Major blockages to drains/soil pipes       (tel. United Utilities: 0845 746 2200

  • WC not working (if there is only one in the property)

  • Major leak from heating/water system

  • Insecure window or door lock

  • Temporary boarding of windows & doors

  • Faulty smoke alarms

What do I do if I smell gas?

Make sure you know where the gas tap is so that you can turn it off in an emergency.  If you smell gas, turn off the supply and telephone 0800 111 999.  This is a 24-hour emergency line for gas escapes.  They will stop an escape in the home or in the street free of charge.

DO NOT:

  • smoke
  • use naked flames
  • turn electric switches on or off

DO:  Open all windows and doors

For more information on repairs

Our leaflet Repairs Information gives details and advice including:

  • Repairs we are responsible for and repairs that are your responsibility.
  • How long it will take to carry out a repair
  • Home improvements
  • Decoration allowance
  • Right to Repair Legislation
  • Gas servicing

Rechargeable repairs

We will seek to recover the cost of repair work from tenants who abuse or mistreat their property.  Wilful damage includes holes in doors, damage to plaster, light/power sockets or any other repair or improvement caused by tenant neglect.

For more information, please read our leaflet How to avoid rechargeable costs to your home.

Worried about damp and mould in your property?

We receive lots of enquiries from tenants worried there is damp in their property.  In the vast majority of cases, the black mould/damp patches are caused by condensation and, although unsightly, are completely normal.

Condensation occurs when warm moist air and steam comes into contact with a cold surface and if  left to build up on a surface it causes mould to grow. 

For information on the causes of condensation and how to reduce it, please check out the videos in the right hand column or read this information leaflet.  

If, despite taking steps to prevent mould, the problem persists, please get in touch so we can arrange for a surveyor to visit and investigate.  

Please also report any repair issues that could cause damp in your home, for example leaking gutters or pipes.

Call us on (01229) 876578 or email: housing@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk 

   

Will the Council carry out improvements to my home?

Every year planned maintenance works are carried out to certain properties.  These works are planned in advance to make sure our properties do not fall into disrepair, that they have modern facilities, are warm and efficiently heated and meet health and safety standards.

There is a ‘Decent Homes Standard’ for all social housing set by the Government. 100% of our properties currently meet this standard and we continuously undertake work to ensure this is maintained. 

For details of the areas where improvement works will be carried out this current financial year, please read our Planned Maintenance leaflet.