As we all know, the cost of living is rising and is affecting everybody with rising energy prices impacting on the cost of utility bills, petrol prices and train fares.
Hightown is doing its best to keep costs as low as possible. However there are a few things that you can do to ensure you avoid any unnecessary additional costs being incurred from Hightown repairs.
Reasons you may be recharged for repairs and top tips to avoid being recharged any costs:
- If you, a family member or one of your visitors accidentally causes damage to your home, you must repair the damage at your own expense.
- Forced entry by the police with a warrant regardless of the reason, is the responsibility of the tenant to pay for the repair. Hightown does not accept responsibility for damage as a result of criminal activity within the property.
- When reporting repairs, please make sure you have checked that’s it not something you have done that is causing the fault. The repairs team will always ask you to do some checks before we raise the repair. For example, if our tenants call to advise that they have no heating or hot water, the repairs coordinator will ask if the thermostat has been switched on and they will also ask how the gas supply is paid for as some residents have a meter key and when the money runs out, the gas will shut off. These checks are necessary to try and minimise the contractor attending to a non-fault resulting in the resident being recharged.
- If you report a repair to the repairs team or the out of hours service and the repair rectifies itself or is no longer required, please make sure you call the repairs team or the out of hours service to cancel the repair. If the contractor attends and there is no fault, you will be recharged for the callout.
- Hightown does not take responsibility for lost keys. If you lose your keys, you will have to get your own locksmith. There are certain circumstances where we will pay for a locksmith to attend but the charge of the locksmith callout is recharged to you.
- Residents that fly tip in the communal areas will also receive a recharge for the removal of the items they have left. To avoid this charge it is best to call the local council who will take away bulky items for a minimal fee.
- If you arrange your own repairs, these must be carried out by qualified contractors. The work might need to be inspected by a Property Service Inspector and if the repairs have not been carried out to a reasonable standard, you may be charged to have this work corrected by one of our contractors.
- Please note that you must obtain prior permission from Hightown to undertake any alterations to the property, for example, installing an electric shower.
If we carry out any repairs, which you are responsible for, Hightown will charge you for the cost of the work plus a £15 administration charge. In some cases it may be cheaper for you to arrange for the repair yourself.
