If there is an emergency, call us immediately so we can get a contractor out straight away. 

Report a repair

If you have a routine repair, you can report and track it using our MyHightown online service. Once your repair is done, use MyHightown to tell us how it went.

Log onto MyHightown

We rely on you to let us know about any repairs needed in your home and to let us in to do them.  We will fix problems caused by fair wear and tear. You will need to fix anything that you damage. Please note: if you own your home (including shared owners) then you are responsible for repairs in your home but you can log into MyHightown to report repairs to any communal areas.

You can also send in repairs via email at maintenance.services@hightownha.org.uk or call 01442 292301 during office hours.

Emergencies

If you need to report an emergency repair please call:

  • Between 9am - 5pm Monday - Friday: 01442 292301
  • Out of hours: 0845 160 0077 (local rate) or 0203 701 3525 (from a mobile phone) 

 Report or track a repair 

What is an emergency repair?

We class any maintenance problem as an emergency if it puts your health and security or the safety of the building at immediate risk.

There are many things that could be emergency repairs, but some examples are:

  • Loss of heating or hot water (from 1st October to 30th April) If parts are required to fix the fault we will provide you with temporary heating
  • Gas leak or loss of gas supply – contact National Grid: 0800 111 999
  • Flooding
  • Severe storm damage
  • Total loss of electricity supply – unless due to power cut
  • Offensive or racist graffiti

Please call us on the numbers above if you think you have an emergency repair to report.

If you deliberately use our emergency repairs services when they are not needed, we may charge you for the call-out costs.

When will my repair be done?

When you report a repair our repairs team will decide what priority the repair is. Our response times for repairs are linked to their priority so we can get to the most urgent problems first.

You can use MyHightown to track your repair and check our target for getting it fixed.

We have 3 different repair categories:

1. Emergency - within 24 hours

Our first priority is any problem that puts the health, safety or security of our tenants or the building they live in. Please call us on the numbers above to report an emergency repair. If you misuse the emergency repair service, we may charge you for the call-out costs.

2. Urgent - within 3 working days

Some examples might include:

  • Partial loss of electricity
  • Leaking radiators, minor pipe leaks
  • Failure of entry phone
  • Loss of heating, or hot water for period 1st May to 30th September
  • Loose banister or handrail
  • Faulty communal TV aerial

3. Routine - within 20 working days

Some examples might include:

  • General joinery repairs
  • Repairs to tiling
  • Inside door repairs – wear and tear
  • Mechanical extractor fan repairs
  • Boundary fencing repairs
  • Replacing/repairing dripping taps
What am I responsible for?

Your tenancy agreement will give you information about exactly what you are responsible for in your home and what Hightown will fix. Here are some general guidelines about who is responsible for what.

Our tenants are responsible for:

  • letting us know about repairs as soon as possible
  • giving our contractors access to fix the problem
  • fixing anything that you, your family or guests have damaged. (Hightown will charge you to repair something you have damaged)

Items in your house that you are responsible for:

Area Item(s)
Kitchen
  • Cupboard door catches, hinges and handles
  • Cooker connection and your appliances. (*Intermediate Rent tenants are entitled to repairs for appliances provided by Hightown)
Bathrooms & WC
  • Blocked bath, basin or sink
  • Bath panels, plugs and chains
  • Towel rails, toilet seats, toilet roll holders, cabinets etc
  • Showers that you have fitted or has been assigned to you
  • Shower curtains
Heating & Electric
  • Fuses, plugs, light bulbs and tubes (not in communal areas)
  • Leaking radiator as a result of being removed for decorating purposes
Windows & Doors
  • Damage not related to a crime (if a crime and crime number is provided, Hightown will repair)
  • Gain access (lost keys) and additional locks and bolts
  • Additional locks and draught proofing strips on windows and doors
  • Letterbox plate, spy hole or security chain
Gardens
  • Dwarf walls, ponds, trellis, sheds, decking or landscaping, pruning trees.
TV & Broadband
  • Supply and maintenance of either a TV aerial, satellite or cable (if you live in a property which does not share a communal system)
  • If your property has an aerial when you move in, this is automatically gifted to you and immediately becomes your responsibility
General
  • Decorating inside your home (including papering, woodwork or coving and damp due to condensation)
  • Fitting & checking battery operated smoke alarms
  • Removing pests (except in communal areas)
  • Carpentry jobs e.g. boxing in pipes following change of boiler etc.
 

If you need help with carrying out repairs that are your responsibility, there are organisations that may be able to help you. Please click here for more information.

Why have I been charged for a repair?

If you, your family, visitors, or pets cause damage to any part of your home, you must repair it at your own
expense.

If Hightown carries out any repair which is the tenant’s responsibility, we will charge you for the cost of the work plus an administration fee.

It may be cheaper for you to arrange the repair yourself. Gas appliance and electrical repairs must be carried out by qualified/certified engineers. Work may be inspected and if the repairs that you have arranged have not been carried out to an acceptable standard, you may be charged to have this work corrected by one of our
qualified contractors.

Failed or missed appointments will also be rechargeable.

Renewal of glass in windows and doors is your responsibility unless the breakage is due to a break-in or vandalism. If the breakage causes a
security problem, we are responsible for making sure the window is secured. A charge will be made for this unless you provide us with a Police Crime Reference Number.

The front cover of Hightown's repair guide

Repairs handbook

For frequently asked questions about our repairs service, please download the Repairs Handbook. It contains more information and tips on things you can fix yourself.

A window with lots of condensation on

Damp and Mould

What you need to know
A can of paint, a paint brush and a lime green background

Home improvements

Decorating and renovating
Someone checking their boiler

Gas safety

Gas safety checks
A new built flat. The kitchen and lounge is shown.

New build homes

What you need to know
An outside tap which has frozen

Freezing taps in winter

Helpful tips
A bathroom with aids and adaptations, such as hand rails.

Aids and adaptations

Find out more
A Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCD) where one of the fuses has tripped

Tripping electrics

More information
A home contents form that is ready to be completed

Home Contents Insurance

Find out more