Repairs

We know it can be stressful if something breaks or needs replacing. 

If you need something fixing in your home which isn't down to you, please contact our repairs people, Axis. They're the contractors for all our properties, so this includes anything in your shared areas, like lighting in hallways or broken doors. 

You can do this in a number of ways, but our 24/7 service for ALL repairs, except emergencies, is our ChatBot service. This is available in Your Online Account. Using this service, you’ll be able to book appointment times that suit you and check existing appointments without having to wait on the phone. Just sign in, tap on Your Repairs and the ChatBot will appear in the bottom right of your screen. 

Of course, if you prefer to speak with one of the Axis advisors on the phone, or you have an emergency, please call Axis direct on 0808 169 1969

Axis now offers a call-back service Monday to Friday between 8am and 3pm. The call-back service saves your space in the call queue so you’ll still get to speak with the Axis team at the same time as your call would have been answered, but in the meantime, you can get on with your day-to-day life. You are automatically offered this service if your call hasn’t been answered within 4 minutes but if you don't want to wait, then simply dial 55, leave your contact number and we will call you back as soon as one of our team becomes available.

We welcome any feedback on this service at feedback@estuary.co.uk

For general repairs, they're open Monday to Friday, 8am until 5pm. If you have an emergency, you can call anytime. An emergency repair will be attended within 24 hrs. Just to let you know, if you use the emergency service and it's found out it's not, you could be charged. 

 

What Counts As An Emergency?

Woman on phone while water is leaking from under sink

Sometimes it's difficult to know exactly what's classed as an emergency. 

To clear up any confusion, we've put together this handy list:

  1. Total loss of electricity 
  2. Dangerous electrical installation
  3. Total loss of water
  4. Water leaks that are uncontainable 
  5. Defective smoke detectors/fire alarms
  6. Blocked or uncontainable leaking toilet where there is only one in your home 
  7. Blocked drains and sewers if backing up in property or overflowing
  8. Loss of heating in winter months (October to March)
  9. Uncontainable roof leak
  10. Insecure property (front or back door), or ground floor window that can not be locked 
  11. Loose roof tile, gutter or drain pipe where dangerous
  12. Loose bricks or masonry where dangerous.

Anything else will be classed as a general repair and can be booked in with our routine repairs service with a lead time of 20 days (unless you choose to wait longer due to availability). 

Missed Appointments

Occasionally, something happens out of everyone's control and an appointment gets missed. Take a look at our missed appointments page to see what to do and if you're entitled to any compensation. 

Responsibility For Repairs

As your landlord, we have a legal duty to carry out certain repairs and modifications when these are needed. As legislation changes, the responsibility for specific repairs may also change. This means that there may be times when we have carried out certain repairs in the past but because of changes in the law, a specific repair may be come your responsibility, or vice versa.

Examples of repairs we are responsible for:

  • Structure and exterior of your home for example roof, chimney and external flues, walls, windows sills.
  • External decoration.
  • Hard wired smoke alarms. If your smoke detector is wired into the main electrical system, and has a battery back up, we still recommend you test it regularly to ensure it's working. These types of detectors usually have a label on it which gives an estimated life span of the battery; the labels are normally changed when our repairs contractor, Axis, replace the battery. However, on the odd occasion the operative may forget to do this, or the label may fall off. If you notice your label shows an old date, or you have any concerns about the detector, please call our repairs line on 0808 196 1969 who will be happy to help.
  • Interior walls (not including decoration), skirting boards, letter boxes, ceilings.
  • Installations for supply of water, gas, electricity and sanitation such as basins and waste pipes.
  • Heating where fitted by us.
  • Gates, fences, ramps, outhouses etc where fitted by us (if not gifted).
  • Communal areas.

 Examples of repairs you are responsible for:

  • Interior decorating.
  • Changing fuses and light bulbs.
  • If you have a battery smoke detector in your property, please test it regularly, and change the battery when needed.
  • Replacing door keys and locks where you lose the key.
  • To replace a fob for a communal door which has been lost, broken, etc. To replace a communal door fob, please contact us, noting replacements are chargeable.
  • Plugs, chains, shower heads & hoses (shower heads and hoses should be replaced with the same make otherwise this can affect the shower's performance. You could possibly incur a recharge if the shower then has to be replaced).
  • Blocked sink, bath, toilet. Initially for tenant to try to unblock with a plunger etc. If unsuccessful to report to the repairs line. If a foreign object found it maybe rechargeable.
  • Other bathroom fittings, including replacement of toilet seats.
  • Floor coverings with exception of kitchen & bathroom.
  • Washing lines.
  • Bleeding the radiators.
  • Maintaining private gardens including all vegetation and trees within your garden, dustbins and refuse areas.
  • Gaining entry to the property due to lost keys, broken windows and any other damage not from general wear and tear.
  • Fittings and appliances supplied by yourself, such as plumbing in washing machines.
  • Anything you have installed/fitted within the property yourself.
  • Pest control within your own house or flat. This includes mice and bed bugs. We will fill holes if necessary following removal. Please notify us if there is a pest problem within a communal area.
  • Key safe if you require one to be fitted, please check with us and confirm the reason why. In some cases this will be carried out, but please bear in mind it may be chargeable.

Rechargeable repairs:

Certain repairs we carry out can be charged back to the resident. This includes things such as window breakage, sink breakage etc. These may be cheaper for you to arrange your own contractor, if not due to general wear and tear.

Please, Treat Us as You Would Like to be Treated

Our team work hard and respond politely to you. On the most part, everyone we speak with is polite to us, too. 

However, that's not always the case. Sometimes, we have to have conversations with you which can be upsetting or frustrating. We understand you might be stressed, but swearing or aggressive behaviour is not acceptable. 

Abuse of any kind will be taken seriously and we will end conversations, this could be by finishing phone calls, leaving the room or asking you to leave. We'll then send you a written warning about your behaviour and how this fits in with your tenancy agreement. Depending on what happened, it could affect the services we give you.

Please, be kind.