Maintenace & Repairs Procedure
Maintenance Procedure
It is worth noting that any repairs required as a result of anything other than normal wear and tear is to be paid for by the tenant. (See 5.7 below) However, as the LCHSU Property Manager deals with maintenance issues on a regular basis more often than not cheaper repairs can be provided than could otherwise be found by a tenant. Therefore, it is advisable that any accidental damage be reported to the LCHSU Property Manager to take full advantage of possible cheaper rates.
Steps
- When you require routine maintenance on your house you should report it to the LCHSU Property Manager by telephone, as detailed in the front of the booklet, or letter, depending upon the urgency.
- The LCHSU Property Manager will then assign a trades-person to investigate, repair or replace the cause of the problem.
- The tenant is to then sign the trades-person's invoice for the office
to initiate payment procedures. The purpose in having you sign is to
a) prove the trades-person has attended to your needs as proof for the LCHSU to pay on invoice,
b) ensure you are happy with the service you have received.
THE PROPERTY MANAGER WILL EVALUATE REPAIRS AS FOLLOWS:
Emergency Repairs
Lutheran Community Housing Unit regards situations that are dangerous to the health safety or welfare of tenants, or threaten damage to LCHSU or neighbouring property, to constitute an emergency.
Emergency repairs are those needing immediate attention and water, gas, energy or safety/security is usually involved. Examples include:
| No hot water | Fire damage | Vehicle damage |
| Storm damage | Gas leaks | Electrical faults |
| Sewer problems | Blocked drains and toilets | Bad water leaks |
| No power in house | Burst water mains/pipes | Faulty stove |
Tenants will be kept informed about what to do in the event of emergency maintenance being required.
There are 24-hour LCHSU emergency maintenance telephone numbers provided at the beginning of this booklet. LCHSU will endeavour to commence emergency repairs within 24 hours.
High Priority Repairs
These are regarded as involving situations which cause inconvenience or discomfort to the tenant or which may cause property damage if left unattended for long, and include leaking cistern, faulty stove, blocked drains, hot water services. LCHSU will endeavour to attend to high priority repairs within one week of a request being made.Low Priority Repairs
These include minor repairs such as fly-screens, dripping taps etc. and will be attended to as a matter of course within one month of a request being made.In the interests of economy and conservation, LCHSU may utilise second hand building materials for this work.
For low priority repairs, because we are an association offering rentals below the current market rate (subject to Government policy changes), we expect tenants to undertake as many of their own repairs as possible and you will find some repair tips at the back of this booklet.
(If however, your attempts have been unsuccessful, please do not hesitate to contact the LCHSU Property Manager as often maintenance that is let go leads to more costly repairs in the long term.)
In general terms we expect the tenant to:
- Repair all damage caused by members or visitors, or contact the Property manager to arrange for repairs,
- Inform the LCHSU Property Manager of any state of disrepair that arises during tenancy,
- Eradicate household pests – see section 13.1 for pest control guidelines,
- Organise the removal of leaves from roof and gutters (at your cost),
- Clear or pay for the clearing of blocked drains - e.g. pouring fat down sinks causes a blockage,
- Re-glaze broken or cracked windows/mirrors if damaged by tenant,
- Repair, without the need of approval, day to day maintenance if you are able which includes such jobs as; leaky taps, sticky doors and cupboards, broken fly screens and faulty handles,
- Repair house improvements not provided by the LCHSU,
- Repair LCHSU owned non-standard items i.e. blinds, curtains, carpets, air-conditioners etc. If in doubt as to what is standard, contact the LCHSU Property Manager.