Tenants Handbook
Click here to view Riversmead's Tenants Handbook in pdf format.
Go to the contents section (pages 1 - 4), then click on the relevant page number to take you to the information you need. If you cannot find an answer to your query you can contact us using this form.
Alternatively you can telephone or visit our offices.
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the pdf file. Use this link and follow the instructions to download it for free from the Adobe website.
Repairs and maintenance
Repairs and maintenance
In your Tenancy Agreement, Riversmead Housing Association are responsible for carrying out certain repairs to your home, and for maintaining the structure of the building.
Riversmead is not responsible for internal decorations, internal fittings and items not provided by ourselves. Items such as extra security and fencing, insulation and additional amenities are your responsibility.
Although we recognise that you would like repairs carried out as quickly as possible, not all work has the same urgency as, for example, a gas or water leak, and can be left for a few days. To help decide how quickly repairs should be done, work is classified into five main types.
 emergency
urgent
rapid
standard
specified time
These different categories are explained more fully later on. If there are some special circumstances that make you feel the repair should be carried out more quickly than its given time then please let us know.
Some maintenance work, for example external decoration, is carried out on a regular cycle every few years. This is termed "planned maintenance". Although most standard repairs will be completed within 21 days, some work may be delayed until Riversmead next carries out its planned maintenance programme in your area.
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What to do if you need a repair
All repairs must be reported to Riversmead House.
You can report repairs at my home online. If you are using my home online for the first time you will need to register. This process will take a few days, so if your repair is more urgent please e-mail us using this form.
During office hours (9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday) call 01992 514514. You can also call into our offices in Hertford, or write to us at:
Riversmead Housing Association
Property Services
Riversmead House
36 Ware Road
Hertford
Herts SG13 7HH
Repairs should not be reported direct to Contractors, unless they relate to a gas breakdown / repair
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Evenings and weekends
EMERGENCIES ONLY 01992 639561
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Emergencies
Emergencies can be reported to us on the above telephone numbers. Outside office hours and at weekends telephone 01992 639561 this will connect you to Broxbourne Central Control who take all of our out of hours calls. They will advise you on the help available and if necessary, arrange for a contractor to call and attend to the repair. Please do not call Broxbourne Control unless it is a genuine emergency - for example a burst pipe or leaking hot water cylinder. The control operator will not be able to help with non-emergency problems.
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How do I know if it is an emergency?
An “emergency" is defined as a situation where there is an imminent risk of personal injury or of serious damage to property. Riversmead aims to make the problem safe on the day we receive your call.
As the aim is to make safe, a temporary repair may be necessary, pending a further visit as soon as possible. For example, the contractor will not have the materials to replace a leaking hot-water cylinder, but will stop it leaking and return to replace it as soon as practicable.
Because there is no risk of injury or damage to the property, the following are not classified as emergencies, although Riversmead will aim to effect repair as quickly as possible:
lack of hot water
blocked sinks or handbasins
failure of lighting circuits
water running from overflows
Urgent work is where there is a lesser risk to health or safety, and Riversmead aims to have this type of work completed within 3 days.
The problems that could be considered as urgent are:
a complete breakdown of your heating system
failure of the lighting circuit
a blocked toilet where you have another one you can use
Rapid repairs are when there is no risk to health or safety, but where the problem is a serious nuisance. We aim to complete this sort of repair within 7 days. Water running from overflow pipes would fall into this category, as would tap repairs and minor leaks.
Standard repairs are the most common type of repair. These should be completed within 21 days. All sorts of repairs fall into this category including repairs to walls such as cracks, other repairs to the outside such as gutters, repairs to doors, windows etc.
Some repairs fall into a fifth category which have a specified time period. These would be bigger repairs where more than one estimate is required, or repairs where specialist contractors will be used, or perhaps further investigation or survey work may be needed before something can be done. Because this type of work is more difficult to arrange, an individual completion date should be given to you by the maintenance surveyor. This type of repair would include path repairs, repairs to flat roofs, repairs to plastic windows and major problems with water supply and drainage systems. If the problem is unusual it may take a long time.
Electrical faults
Gas breakdown and repairs
All repairs relating to gas breakdown, including emergencies, (for example leaking radiators, no heating and no hot water) should be reported to MC Gas direct on 01920 465111 between the hours of 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.
If you have an emergency repair outside of office hours, please telephone Broxbourne Central Control on 01992 639561.
If you think you have a gas leak from the main supply, please call Transco immediately on their national emergency number: 0800 111 999.
If you can smell gas:
DO NOT smoke or light a match
DO NOT operate light switches or any electrical equipment
DO open doors and windows to disperse the gas
DO check if a gas appliance has been left on unlit, or if a pilot light has gone out
If you can't find a reason for the smell:
DO turn off the gas supply at the meter if possible
DO phone Transco straight away
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Access to your home
You must provide reasonable access to allow repair work to be carried out. If you work and no-one is normally at home, we will try to make appointments for a specific morning or afternoon. In some cases we may ask the contractor to contact you directly to arrange an appointment.
We can also ask the contractor to collect a key from a neighbour if this is more convenient, but you should remember that contractors do not like working in your home without someone there on your behalf to watch over them.
If a contractor has to call several times and repeatedly finds no-one at home, he is wasting his time and your rent which goes towards paying for the repairs service. It will also slow down the repairs service to all other tenants.
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Report repairs, view repair history and complete repairs satisfaction survey @ my home online
Click here to login to/register for my home online, where services include reporting repairs, viewing repair history and completing satisfaction surveys.
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Improvements
If you wish to undertake improvements to your home please write to Riversmead with full details of the work you wish to do. No reasonable request is refused, but we cannot help towards the cost, and you must be sure that planning permission or building regulations requirements are met.
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Servicing
Gas servicing and solid fuel servicing is done every year. It is essential this is done for your own safety. If you are out when the contractor calls please make alternative arrangements with the contractor.
Riversmead have to comply with legislation and by law we must ensure that all gas appliances in Riversmead owned and managed properties are serviced and inspected on an annual basis.
If our contractor cannot gain access to your property, a calling card will be left. If we have not heard from you within 14 days, a further calling card will be left. If you haven't contacted us after another 7 days, we will send a letter by recorded delivery.
If no contact is made after sending the letter, the matter will be referred to the Housing Officer, who can then serve a Notice to Quit.
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Insurance
The structure of your home (roof, walls etc) is insured by Riversmead. This does not include the contents and you should ensure that your possessions are covered for such risks as you think appropriate. You should make sure that you are covered for any damage resulting from a repair problem (for example a burst pipe). Any reputable insurance agent or broker will be able to advise you on what is required.
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External repair and painting
External repair and painting of all homes is called planned maintenance and is carried out approximately every five years.
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REPAIR
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EMERGENCY (time: same day)
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main items
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comments
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cylinders.
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if leaking badly.
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doors.
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external door: if the only one and jammed shut, or if external doors cannot be made secure.
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drains.
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main drains when blocked only (not gulleys).
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electrical faults.
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complete failure of plug circuits.
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gas problems.
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all gas leaks from the mains supply to be reported to British Gas immediately.
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Leaks to internal gas service pipe repaired same day by Riversmead.
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heating.
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only for OAPs in winter.
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leaks.
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pipes.
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major leaks and bursts only.
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cylinders.
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major leaks and bursts only.
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tanks.
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major leaks and bursts only.
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manholes.
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only sewerage manholes when blocked.
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pipes.
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major leaks and bursts only.
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pumps.
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only for OAPs in winter.
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sewers.
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blockages.
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tanks.
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serious leaks only.
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toilets.
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if another toilet is available in the house a blocked WC is not an emergency.
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WC pans.
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as above.
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windows.
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if broken we will board up the same day.
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REPAIR
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URGENT (time: 3 days)
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main items
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comments
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baths.
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blocked wastes.
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ceilings.
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when falling down - survey needed.
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cisterns.
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if broken and leaking.
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doors.
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entrance doors: if jammed shut and another is available.
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garage doors: if they are jammed and cannot be used.
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glass.
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to replace broken windows - you may be charged with the cost.
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gulleys.
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if blocked.
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heating.
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hot water.
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if no hot water at all.
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immersion heaters.
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if not working and no other way of heating water.
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lighting circuit.
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if all lights out.
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locks.
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not working - you may be charged with the cost.
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manholes.
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if cover broken.
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paths.
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if hazardous - survey needed.
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pipes.
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if frozen - you may be charged with the cost.
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pumps.
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sinks.
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if waste blocked.
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staircase.
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if handrail loose - survey needed.
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stopcocks.
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if broken.
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taps.
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if running badly.
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TV aerials.
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communal systems only.
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windows.
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broken glass replaced - you may be charged with the cost
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REPAIR
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RAPID (time: 7 days)
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main items
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comments
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basins.
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if leaking
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boilers.
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minor repairs.
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cisterns.
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if loose or handle broken or overflowing.
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cylinders.
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if a descale is required.
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doors.
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garage door locks if faulty.
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electrical faults.
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most minor repairs.
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immersion heaters.
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if another way of heating water is available.
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locks.
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external doors only - if sticking
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radiators.
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if some, only, are cold.
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sinks.
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steps.
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to remove minor hazards.
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stopcocks.
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if sticking.
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taps.
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dripping.
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tanks.
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overflowing.
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toilet seats.
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broken - elderly and disabled only.
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windows.
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if difficult to secure.
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REPAIR
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STANDARD (time: 21 days)
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main items
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comments
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basins.
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if replacement is requested
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survey needed. |
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baths.
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if replacement is requested
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survey needed. |
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brickwork.
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survey needed.
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ceilings.
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survey needed.
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chimneys.
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survey needed.
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cracks.
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survey needed.
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cisterns.
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if replacement is requested
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survey needed. |
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cupboards.
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survey needed.
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dampness.
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survey needed.
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doors.
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survey needed
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if draughty or sticking:. |
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internal
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repairs unlikely
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fencing.
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repairs unlikely
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only to remove hazard |
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flooring
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not floor coverings
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gates.
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repairs unlikely
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only to remove hazard |
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gutters
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paths
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survey needed
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rain water pipes
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rendering
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survey needed
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roofs
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survey needed
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sinks
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survey needed
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skirting
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survey needed
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staircases
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survey needed
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steps
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survey needed
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tiles
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remove hazards only
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survey needed |
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wall tiles:
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survey needed
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may remove but not replace |
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walls
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survey needed
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WC pans
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new one requested - survey needed
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windows
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most problems - survey needed
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You must remember that the above is a guide only. The priority in which work is done depends on the circumstances of each case.
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Please contact us about any of the issues raised on this page either by using the Contact Us form, or at:
Riversmead Housing Association
Riversmead House
36 Ware Road
Hertford
Herts
SG13 7HH
e-mail: riversmead@riversmead.org.uk
Telephone: 01992 514514
Fax: 01992 514500
Minicom: 01992 537818
We are open from 9.00 am – 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday
Personal callers are most welcome, but it is helpful to make an appointment first.
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