Blenheim Gardens RMO staff aim to provide you with the best possible repairs service to your home and communal areas.  The repairs service forms part of your tenancy agreement and this charter contains clear information regarding the level of service you can expect from us.

You can report a repair in the following ways:

• By telephone. You can report a repair on 020 7926 0158 / 0159 / 0161

• In writing. You can write to us at Blenheim Gardens RMO, 24 Prague Place.  Blenheim Gardens Estate.  Brixton SW2 5ED

• In person. You can call in person at the estate housing office.

• Email. You can email the estate office at blenheimgardens@lambeth.gov.uk  

• By Text message. You can report all non-urgent repairs 24 hours a day via text message to 078 373 63715.  Please remember to include your contact details.

What happens when I report a repair?

When you report a repair we promise to-

• Let you know whether the repair is covered by the tenancy agreement or rechargeable to you.

• Let you know whether a repairs order will be raised immediately or if an inspection is required.

• Offer you an appointment and give you a job reference number for your records.

• Confirm all appointments in writing.  Appointments are available 8.00 am to 4.30 pm Monday to Friday.  Late night Thursday till 7pm and Saturday between 8.30 am and 1.00 pm.  (Appointments for Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings will need to be booked 7 working days in advance) 

• Change any appointment for you as long you give us at least two full working days notice.

• Keep all appointments.  In some cases we may need to change your appointment, but will, with the exception of an emergency, give you at least one full working day notice.

• Carry out repairs monitoring surveys after each repair has been completed to ensure satisfaction.

• Ask you to sign that a repair has been completed  satisfactory to ensure you are happy with the work.  We will investigate all cases were you tell us that the service is not to the expected standard.

• Keep you informed of any changes or delays to the repair to be executed

• To always be polite, helpful and treat you and your home with respect.  We will clean up after the work has been completed.

• Give you a £10.00 gift voucher as compensation if an appointment is missed or a repair is completed late.  For a late emergency repair, we will give you a £20.00 gift voucher.

What repairs am I responsible for?

• Door latches and fittings in your home

• Cupboards and cupboard handles and hinges

• Letter and milk boxes

• Sink plugs and chains, toilet chains, toilet seats and tap washers

• Small faults and cracks in plaster

• Minor damaged floor tiles, where they are the fault of the resident

• Hot water cylinder jackets

• Any internal doors and / or glass

• Wallpaper and paint inside your home

• Blocked sinks and drains caused by misuse

How long will I have to wait for a repair to be done?

When you report a repair, we guarantee to carry it out within the following times scales, unless you change the initial arrangement we make.

Emergency repairs (Priority 1)

• Repairs that fall into this category will be completed within 24 hours of being reported.

Responsive Repairs (Priority 2)

• Repairs that fall into this category will be completed within 3 working days.

Routine Repairs (Priority 3)

• Repairs that fall  in to this category will be completed between 7 and 14 days.

Planned Repairs (Priority 4)

• Repairs that fall into this category will be completed under a program of works.  Planned repairs take longer to resolve since we may need to consult with a specialist contractors or get items specially made. On some occasions, it may not always be possible to confirm when funding for certain repairs or works will be available. In this circumstance however, we will always register your request and inspect within two weeks of it being reported. 

What will happen after a repair is completed?

After a repair has been completed we will send you a repair satisfaction form for your completion. The satisfaction form will confirm you are completely satisfied with the repair carried out.  If for any reason you are not satisfied with the repair completed, it will be investigated as a service complaint. Your feedback will help us to constantly improve our service to you.

If an inspection is needed, how long will I need to wait?

An inspection appointment may be needed to find out what the nature of the problem is and what parts or materials are required.

You will receive written confirmation of an inspection appointment. Non-urgent repairs will be inspected within 7 days of the repair being reported either on a Tuesday or Thursday, unless you have made alternative arrangements.

Following an inspection you will be informed of what will happen next. The nature of the repair following the inspection will be completed in accordance with the above priority codings (P1, 2, 3 and 4). You will receive written confirmation of the completed inspection and future appointments within 48 hours of the inspection being completed, unless the repair is considered to be an emergency in which case it will be completed within 24 hours.

If I am dissatisfied with the service provided, can I claim compensation?

Yes. We recognise that on occasion things do go wrong. You can claim compensation if-

• A repair is not carried out within the time indicated

• Our repairs manager, operative and/or contractor fails to keep an appointment.

• The RMO fails to reply to your complaint regarding a repair within 10 working days.

If any of these apply, we will give you the relevant gift voucher.  Residents in rent arrears will have the value amount credited to their rent account.  If you wish to claim compensation, a claim form is available on request.

Compensation cannot be claimed in the following incidents:

• The repair is not part of your tenancy agreement

• The repair is to replace batteries in your smoke alarms

• Decorating your home (although some special schemes operate for OAP’s and disabled residents)

• Fencing unless it is a health and safety hazard

• The repair is to a garage or pram shed

• The repair to the property  has been caused by neglect and/or is deemed by the Repairs Manager to be deliberate or through misuse.

• A new lock is needed because you have lost your keys.

• Glazing to internal doors.

Recharges:

You will be recharged for the following repairs-

• Forcing entry in to your home after you have lost your keys

• Any repair which is your responsibility (as above)

Please let us know when someone can be at home to let us in.You should also check identification before allowing anyone into your home. All our staff carry identification

Emergency service-:

BGRMO operates an ‘out of office hours’ emergency repair service. Contractors will ONLY attend if you are experiencing-

• An uncontrollable leak (burst pipe etc).

• You have been a victim of crime

• A Gas leak (Transco emergency helpline 0800 111 999)

• Complete loss of power

Our out of hours repairs service can be contacted direct on 020 7926 6000. 

Our Estate Lighting contractors, RMA Stewart, can be contacted out of hours on 07967 483 037

Gas Servicing:

Should you experience problems with either your heating and hot water system or wish to have your system serviced, British Gas can be contacted on 0845 850 0047  (EPS on 020 8653 8877).  British Gas work on a 24/7 basis, so you DO NOT have to wait for the estate office to be open.

Gas safety in your home

BGRMO aims to provide you with safe and reliable heating and hot water systems. This charter sets out clear advice and information regarding what services are available and standards you can expect from us.

If you smell Gas:

• Do not turn electrical switches on or off.

• Do not use the telephone as this may generate a spark.

• Do not smoke or use a naked flame.

• Open all doors and windows.

• Check all appliances to ascertain if any have been left on in error

• Turn gas off at the metre.

• Leave the premises and call Transco on 0800 111 999

• Contact the estate office on 020 7926 0158 / 0159 / 0161 or email blenheimgardens@lambeth.gov.uk 

Service appliances: (Residents)

By law (Gas Safety Regulation 1998) the landlord we must check all our gas appliances and pipework every year for leaks.  Leaking gas appliances or pipes can cause explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning. We ensure your safety by carrying out gas checks.  To do this we will

• Employ corgi registered engineers who carry identification

• Complete a gas safety check every 12 months

• Arrange convenient appointments, including evenings and weekends

• Visit your property twice by appointment, to ensure the service is completed.

• Provide you with a copy of the gas safety record (CP12)

• Will make safe all heating related leaks within 4 hours

• Aim to repair gas central heating and water heaters within 24 HOURS between the months of October and May, and within 72 HOURS between April and September.

• Provide temporary heating if we are unable to meet these time scales.

What if no access is provided?

Our contractors will make two appointments to visit you, however if access is still not provided, your gas safety check will be placed into ‘referred to council’ status.  ‘Referred to Council’ is the first step towards obtaining a court injunction to ensure access is provided.

• We will write to you requesting you make contact with the estate office within 14 days to arrange a suitable appointment.

• If no contact is received, we will write to you again suggesting an appointment time and date.

• If no contact is still received, we will write to confirm that if no appointment is arranged within 7 days, a court injunction will be sought.

• If no contact is still received, we will make an application to the County Court to obtain an injunction to complete the necessary checks.  The injunction will allow us to force entry into your home and recharge you the cost of doing so.

How can I arrange an appointment?

• British Gas are available on 0845 850 0047 (24 hours a day 365 days a year). 

• EPS are available on 020 8461 6745 

What will happen after a service is completed?

After a gas service has been completed we will send you a repair satisfaction form for your completion.  The satisfaction form will confirm you are completely satisfied with the service carried out.  If for any reason you are not satisfied the matter will be investigated as a service complaint. Your feedback will help us to constantly improve our service to you.  We will also provide you with a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate (CP12).    

For additional information regarding gas safety please contact the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advice line on Freephone 0845 345 0055 or visit www.hse.gov.uk/gas/index.htm  If you wish to check if a gas installers is registered with CORGI (Council of Registered Gas Installers) or if you require technical advice relating to gas appliances please contact 01256 372 300 or visit www.corgi-gas-safety.com

Asbestos- Information you should know

We receive a number of calls each month regarding Asbestos in properties. This section provides a general overview of what Asbestos is and what we are doing about it.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is strong fibrous rock, which can resist heat and chemicals. It was commonly used in buildings between the 1950’s and 1980’s.  Almost all buildings constructed and/or altered during this period are likely to contain Asbestos. The difficulty is that products containing Asbestos can look the same as those that do not, such as ‘supalux’. Often the difference between the two can only be found under a microscope by a specialist laboratory.

Am I at Risk?   

The simple answer is no.  You will not be at risk if products that contain Asbestos are undisturbed and undamaged.  If they do become damaged or deteriorate, then yourself and others may be at risk as Asbestos fibres may be released in to the air.  Current scientific advice tells us that if materials are in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed, then the risk presented is minimal.

DIY activities such as sanding or drilling may disturb and possibly damage products containing Asbestos, so please do not place yourself at risk and seek advice before you carry out such work. We can arrange to have a sample taken and tested to establish if it contains Asbestos.  There will be charge for this service for both Leaseholders and Freeholders.

It should be emphasised that Asbestos does not present a hazard to health providing it is in good condition.  However, where this is not the case, we will deal with it in a safe and controlled manner.  We would like to assure Residents, that BGRMO follows all the rules and regulations concerning Asbestos very strictly, and that the health and safety of people is our most important consideration.

Where can Asbestos be found?

Exterior of buildings including:-

• Roof sheets and tiles                                  

• Guttering and drain pipes                           

• Exterior cladding

• Fascia boards

Boilers:-

• Some interior working of boilers                 

• Storage radiators   

• Boiler Flue pipes                         

Interior Surfaces:-

• Textured walls and ceilings                         

• Infill Panels                                                 

• Duct panels

• Panels behind Warm Air Units

Other Items:-

• Fire place panels                                         

• Garage and shed roofs                                

• Pipe lagging

• Water Tanks

All the above is not an exclusive list, but all these items potentially contain Asbestos and should be treated as such unless you know otherwise.

What are BGRMO doing about Asbestos?  

BGRMO is completing its own stock condition survey in order to identify the extent of properties affected on the estate.  Residents will be notified in writing where Asbestos is suspected.  Those where Asbestos is positively identified are placed on our Asbestos register.

Council Residents on the central heating replacement program will have Asbestos removed under this program.

What about leaseholders?

Under the terms of your lease you are responsible for the fixtures and fittings in your property. BGRMO recognises however, that the removal of such a hazard is a specialist occupation and have a list of recommended Asbestos removal contractors.