Repairs handbook

When you get in touch, we’ll ask you when the most convenient time to book your appointment is. We offer five different time slots - morning, afternoon, evening, school run or Saturdays. In the case of emergency repairs, we cannot offer advance appointments so you need to make sure someone is at home until an operative arrives. 

Someone over the age of 17 must be at home when a repair is being carried out.

To cancel or rearrange an appointment, call us as soon as possible on 01733 385030. If you do not provide 24 hours notice to cancel an appointment or are not at home when a contractor calls, you may be charged or we may change the priority of the repair.

You’ll receive a text message from Mears on the morning of your appointment with a link to a website with details of when the operative is likely to arrive at your home. They’ll be able to share updates if they are running late or can be with you sooner than planned, and you’ll also be able to contact the operative and let them know if you’re not home or delayed.

If you need to report a problem in a new build home (less than 12 months old), take a look at our information on defects. 
 

Repair response times

When you report a repair, we tell you what category it falls into and the estimated time we will take to deal with it.
 

Emergency repairs – 24 hours

Affect health and safety or the basic security of your home. For example, serious leaks that are flooding your home, a broken toilet (when there is no other working toilet), or no heating in winter (November – April).

We tell our contractors to reach you as soon as possible and you need to stay at home until they arrive - advance appointments are not available.

 

Urgent repairs – seven days

Could affect basic functions or cause further damage. Examples include taps which won’t turn on, no heating or hot water in summer months (May – October), or a faulty door entry phone.

Your appointment will be confirmed by text or email.

 

Routine repairs – 28 days

Can wait without posing a risk to you and will not damage your home in the short-term. Examples include broken or cracked floor tiles, minor leaks and dripping taps.

Your appointment will be confirmed by text or email.

 

Report a repair

Login to your account to report an issue in your home or a communal area. 

Report a repair online

Emergency repairs

We respond to emergencies within 24 hours.

Emergency repairs are issues that affect the health and safety of your household, for example if your front door will not lock or the only toilet in your home is broken. 

Report an emergency repair at any time on 01733 385030. 

Before you get in touch, it's a good idea to make sure you know what you are responsible for maintaining in your own home. 

You are responsible for:

• Blocked sink/bath/basin wastes (blocked by waste food/hair etc.)
• Blocked toilets (blocked by nappies, sanitary towels, excessive toilet paper, baby wipes or anything else that has been put in or fallen into the toilet by accident)
• Re-lighting pilot lights and re-setting the boiler (including resetting your timer after a power cut)
• Repairs that are needed after alterations, improvements or other work you have carried out or organised
• Replacing bath panels
• Replacing clothes lines and rotary dryers (except in shared blocks and sheltered schemes)
• Replacing floor coverings (this includes carpets but doesn't include permanent coverings such as quarry tiles)
• Replacing plugs (and/or chains) for sinks, baths and washbasins
• Replacing shower heads and hoses — watch a video on how to replace a shower head
• Replacing toilet seats
• Lost keys (including changing locks, replacing keys, providing new fobs and any additional keys or locks)
• Alteration to meter cupboards including gas, water and electric services following any changes to meters
• Minor repairs e.g. tightening loose screws or cupboard door hinges
• Internal decoration
• Internal doors, including repairing or replacing door handles, locks, latches
• All broken glass (including double-glazing)
• Fixtures or fittings provided with your home. Examples include: doorbells, built-in wardrobes, coathooks/rails, bathroom cabinets, toilet roll holders, mirrors, and shower curtains and poles
• Garden maintenance
• Fencing, where appropriate 
• Garden sheds (wooden/metal)
• Driveways and patios
• TV aerials (unless a communal aerial in a sheltered housing scheme or block).

If you are physically unable to carry out these repairs yourself, please contact us for advice.

 

CKH is responsible for:

• Basins, sinks, baths, toilets, flushing systems and waste pipes (excluding blockages or damaged caused by you, your family or visitors)
• Defective plasterwork e.g. debonding from the structure of the wall (not minor decorative cracks)
• Drains and outside pipes
• Gutter maintenance (excluding cleaning)
• Electric wiring, gas and water pipes (excluding meters)
• Heat recovery systems
• Heating systems including the supply of hot water
• Inside walls, skirting boards, thresholds, floors and ceilings (not painting and decorating)
• Internal fire doors
• Lifts
• Outside doors (including door handles, locks and hinges)
• Pathways, steps and other means of access to external doors (not including driveways or patios)
• Fencing at Retirement Housing Schemes and in communal outdoor spaces, as appropriate 
• Rain water harvesting
• Roof
• Sockets and light fittings
• Sweeping the chimney (where in use)
• Shared areas such as halls, stairways and passageways
• The structure of your home, including garages and brick outbuildings. 
• Window sills, window catches, window frames (including external redecoration).

When you get in touch to report a problem, you can choose from five different repair appointment slots:

• Morning - 8am to 1pm
• Afternoon - 1pm to 6.30pm
• The school run - 9.30am to 2.30pm
• Saturday - 8am to 1pm
• No preference 

This appointment system is only for non-emergencies. You will need to stay at home until we can attend to any emergency repair.

Whenever possible work will be completed on the first visit, however, this is not always possible so a follow on appointment may be necessary. If follow on work is needed our contractor will arrange this with you directly. 

If you need to rearrange an appointment, just call us on 01733 385030 or start a live chat Monday to Friday, between 8am and 5pm.

To provide a great repairs service, we need your help. Please :

• Allow us access to your home
• Tell us who will be present for the appointment, they must be over the age of 17 otherwise we will not be able to carry out the repair
• Stay in until we attend when you report an emergency repair
• Keep appointments or give at least 24-hours notice if you cannot keep an appointment. You may be charged, or we may change the priority of the repair, if you are not at home when a contractor calls. 
• Keep the area smoke-free while the contractors carry out the work
• Provide up-to-date contact details
• Carry out all checks we ask you to - this includes checks for loss of electricity and/or heating or hot water.

You are responsible for preventing sinks, toilets and drains becoming blocked. It is difficult and expensive to clear blockages and you will be charged if blockages are caused by you or a member of your household.

Do not pour cooking oil, tea leaves, rice, peas or any food particles down your sink as they can block the drain.

Never put anything down your toilet which might block it. Your toilet is only designed for the 3 Ps - pee, poo and paper. Anything else (such as disposable nappies, sanitary towels, or plastic bags) is not meant to enter the drainage system. Never put wipes down the toilet, even if the packaging says they can be flushed, they can still cause blockages.

Keep all gratings over yard drains free from leaves and waste as this will help prevent blockages and flooding. It is a good idea to clean your drains regularly to remove grease which if left may lead to blockages.

If you do get a blocked sink you should try to clear it first, using a sink unblocker liquid or a plunger. For a blocked toilet half fill a bucket with hot water and tip it into the toilet pan as quickly as possible. This will often help move the blockage.

Watch Mears' video guides on removing bloackages 

If you look after your home and report repairs to us in good time, you will not usually be charged for any works to your home. 

If you fail to carry out repairs or checks which are your responsibility, or you carry out repairs which do not meet our standards, action can be taken against you to enforce the terms of your tenancy agreement. If we have to carry out work which is your responsibility you will be charged for the cost of the repair or clearance plus the cost of organising this work.

We may be able to carry out any repairs that are your responsibility. You will be charged for the cost of the repair, plus our costs for organising the work. Call us on 01733 385030 to talk to our team about how to arrange this. 

Payments will need to be made in advance of the work being carried out.

You are responsible for carrying out repairs if:

• You or a member of your household or a visitor to your home caused the damage or did not take preventative action to avoid damage being caused
• You left items within your home, garden, garage or shed when your tenancy ended which needed to be removed
• Repairs were required to your home when your tenancy ended
• Criminal damage has been caused (however if this is a result of vandalism, hate crime or harassment, please tell us the crime reference number so we can consider whether to charge)
• Emergency services gained access to your home and repair/replacement of windows/doors is required. Please tell us if this is the result of a welfare check.

If you’re struggling with damp or mould in your home, please talk to us straight away as we are here to help you. Calling us as soon as possible can make the issue easier to fix. Call our Repairs Centre on 01733 385030 or get in touch online via MyCKH.

We will visit your home to assess the problem. After we’ve cleaned the problem area, we’ll talk about how you can help stop condensation and mould and how we can help if you need any extra support.

Let us know as soon as possible if there are any repairs in your home that could be allowing condensation to form. For example, faulty extractor fans or issues with trickle vents on your windows.
 

Dealing with condensation

Condensation will occur naturally as you live in your home. Good ventilation and heating will usually stop condensation becoming a problem. Excessive condensation in your home can lead to mould. Take a look at our advice on controlling condensation.

Let us know as soon as possible if there are any repairs in your home that could be allowing condensation to form. For example, faulty extractor fans or issues with trickle vents on your windows.

Report a repair

 

Our Scrutiny Panel reviewed our approach to dealing with damp and mould in 2022.  

You are responsible for decorating the inside of your home and keeping it to a reasonable standard.

Please do not paint the walls of your rooms with:

• gloss paint
• artex
• textured paint

If you decorate your home with these materials, we will ask you to repair this damage at the end of your tenancy (you will be charged if we incur any costs for this).

We are responsible for drains that serve individual properties. When the drain joins another drain and serves multiple properties it becomes the responsibility of your local water authority. They are also responsible for all main drains in the roads and footpaths.

Find your water supplier on the Water UK website - you just need your postcode. 

Anglian Water have more information on their website about blocked drains and who to report the problem to. 

What should I do if my lights are not working but my sockets are? 

• Check lighting fuse or circuit breaker in the consumer unit (fuse box)
• Replace any blown fuses and/or reset the circuit breaker
• If the fuse blows or circuit breaker trips again call the Repairs Centre via live chat or call 01733 385030. Please note, circuit breakers are sensitive devices and a bulb blowing can result in the circuit breaker for that circuit tripping. When replacing fuses, always switch off the main switch first and switch it on when the fuse has been refitted.

 

What should I do if sockets are not working but my lights are?

• Check the main fuse or circuit breaker in the consumer unit/fuse box (these are normally found in your hallway)
• Replace blown fuse or reset circuit breaker
• If problem persists unplug all appliances (kettle, toaster, fridge freezer, television etc.)
• Repair the fuse or reset the circuit breaker again
• Plug in and switch on appliances one at a time until electrical failure occurs again. This will identify the faulty appliance
• Unplug the faulty appliance again and reset the circuit breaker
• Do not use the faulty appliance.

If there is still an issue, contacts our Repairs Centre via live chat or call 01733 385030.

 

What should I do if both my lights and sockets are not working?

• Check there are funds in meter (if applicable)
• Check with your neighbours to see if theirs are working. If neighbours have no electrical power either then the problem is likely to be a power failure and you should contact the company who supplies your electricity or contact UK Power Networks on: 0800 783 8838
• If there's still a problem, call our Repairs Centre on 01733 385030.

CKH will repair or replace broken sections of your fence, including fence posts. 

Report a repair online 

If you share a boundary with your neighbour, the fence may be their responsibility to maintain. If you need to check which boundary you are responsible for, please  contact us via MyCKH or call us on 01733 385030. Before contacting us, remember to check what number your neighbour is. If your neighbour is responsible for maintaining the boundary, but is not willing to repair or replace fencing, you may install appropriate fencing to secure your garden on your side of the boundary line.

CKH will not be responsible for maintaining or repairing a fence or wall that you have put in place.

Most of our residents are responsible for looking after the existing fences around their homes. This includes removal of ivy, keeping fencing free from items that could damage it, and treating or painting your fence regularly to prevent damage and extend its life.

Many problems with gas central heating are not breakdowns and are things you can fix yourself. Before getting in touch to report a problem with your gas central heating, please:

• Check your user’s guide/manual to identify the fault
• Check that you have both gas and electricity supplies
• Check your meters are turned on and you have credit if you have a card meter
• Hold and press, or turn, the reset button
• Has there been a power cut? If so you may need to reset your programmer and/or reset your fuse board
• Make sure the clock is set to the correct time. Use theoverride control to check if the system works
• Check your boiler is set to both hot water and heating (if only one part of your system is working)
• Check your room thermostat is set correctly as this controls the boiler operation by sensing temperature. You can do this by turning the room thermostat fully on, the boiler should come on if the thermostat is set too low. Remember to turn it down again.
• Check your thermostatic radiator valves are set to the temperature you require (please note these are not fitted to all heating systems but if they are they control the temperature to that individual radiator)
• Check if the red light is on your gas safety cut off box. If so this indicates that your gas safety check is urgently required
• Look for any fault codes showing on your boiler. Make of note of them before you contact us.

Please do not bleed your radiators - contact us and we can arrange for this to be done.
 

I can smell gas

If you smell gas:

1. Turn off your gas supply. The main gas on/off handle that supplies the gas to your home is usually next to your gas meter

2. Open any windows and doors to let the gas disperse

3. Do not light matches, lighters or cigarettes

4. Do not turn on lights or sockets, or use any electrical equipment including mobile phones

5. Call Cadent on 0800 111 999

6. Alert your neighbours (especially if you are living in a block of flats).

Some of our properties are fitted with a secondary means of heating hot water (or this may be the only means if your home does not have gas).

If you have an immersion you will have a large cylinder for storing the hot water in your airing cupboard. There will also be a control panel – this is normally also situated in the airing cupboard near the tank.

Controls vary but the majority have a simple on/off switch (or you may be able to set a timer so that it comes on at certain times) and a boost button that can be used at any other time to boost the hot water.

We do not keep spare keys for your home. You are responsible for looking after your own keys and must pay for any replacement or changes of locks should you lose them or if they are stolen. If you have Home Contents insurance you may be covered for lost/stolen keys so check your policy before getting in touch.

You can buy a new fob for entrance doors or car parks. Complete a fob request and we'll be in touch within a couple of days to arrangement payment and delivery. 

If you live in a block of flats and the communal door entry system is not working please report a repair. If the issue is affecting your ability to enter and exit the building, call us on 01733 385030 to report an emergency repair. 

You should make sure that the doors are locked behind you and they are not wedged open at any time.

We can help you with some pests but you need to do your bit to help prevent infestations. 

Pests we treat 

We will treat the following pests free of charge if they are on or in the property itself and causing you problems accessing your home:

• Wasps nest
• Bees nest
• Pharaoh ants
• Hornets
• Bed bugs (one treatment only)
• Cockroaches (one treatment only)

Please note, bees are an endangered species so our pest controller may not always be able to remove these for you. You may want to contact a local bee keeper who might be able to remove the hive. 
 

Pests that are your responsibility to treat: 

• Fleas
• Ants
• Earwigs
• Woodlice
• Silverfish
• Rats
• Mice
• Squirrels

If you have an infestation of rats, mice or squirrels we can provide treatment, however if you have only seen a few you will need to arrange the necessary traps. We will not attend cases of rats or mice in gardens or other outdoor areas. 

Please note, if you do not follow the advice you are given by us or by the pest control service or are found to have done something to introduce or encourage the pest, you will be charged for the cost of the treatment.

The council is responsible for collecting rubbish waste and emptying wheelie bins. If they do not empty your bin, you should report it to them. Find your local council using the postcode search on gov.uk.

Make sure you put all materials that can be recycled in the appropriate bins. The council may refuse to collect your waste if you put items in the wrong bin.

Some of our schemes provide shared recycling facilities. Please speak to your Neighbourhood Manager or Scheme Manager about this service.

If you have a rubbish chute in your building, do not put large or bulky waste down the chute. This can cause blockages and the smell can cause a nuisance to everyone. Make sure any rubbish, particularly food, is either composted or recycled, or if this is not possible, put it in a polythene bag before you put it in the chute.
 

Bulky waste 

You can contact the council if you have bulky items you need to dispose of for example a fridge or a sofa. We also provide a bulky waste collection service within Peterborough, we will remove up to three items for a single fee of £20. Request a bulky waste collection online or call us on 01733 385080. 
 

Fly-tipping 

Report fly-tipping on public land to your local council, many councils have reporting forms on their website. You can  report fly-tipping on CKH land to us and we will investigate. 

We are required by law to make sure:

• gas appliances, fittings and flues are tested every 12 months
• electrical installations are tested every five years.

When your inspection is due, you will receive an appointment from Mears who will complete the free inspection. You must allow access to your home for these essential inspections to take place. If you cannot be at home for the time of the appointment, please contact Mears to rearrange. 

We also work with another company called Morgan Lambert who visit some of our homes after a gas safety inspection has taken place. They check the inspection has been completed properly.

All our contractors carry ID. 

You can find lots of information about how we take care of the health and safety of your home as well as advice about how you can keep yourself and your family safe on our safety in your home page. 

To make sure a solid-fuel appliance is safe, please follow these simple steps:

• Clean the throat plate at least once a month to prevent a build up of ash. The throat plate is often known as the damper and is at the bottom of the flue within the solid-fuel appliance.
• Make sure that the metal fire slide is not covered over or sealed in place. This slide provides access for servicing and repairs.
• Follow the recommendations from the Coal Advisory Service on the type of fuel you use.
• Allow ashes to cool before you empty them into a dustbin.

We will arrange for the chimney to be swept at least once a year and install a carbon monoxide detector in your home.

Your home, and any other storage facilities provided with your home, are designed only to store normal household belongings.

You should not store any dangerous substances, such as petrol, or any vehicles or bicycles in shared areas.

Communal areas must be kept clear at all times. 

If your home has a surestop water switch you are able to switch off your water by flicking this switch.

This is a stopcock replacement and is only to be used in emergencies.

When the sun is shining, your home will automatically use that free energy first but it can’t be stored to use later, so aim to run your appliances or charge your phone during daylight hours to benefit from lower energy bills. 

Your solar panels probably won’t generate enough energy for everything you need, but they can help you reduce your utility bills significantly if you make the most of the free power they generate. Your solar panels will be most effective on sunny days but will still produce some free energy on bright days all year round. The trick is to use less energy where you can, and when you do need to use electricity aim to use it during daylight hours. 

For more information, read our info sheets:

Advice and guidance for using solar (PV) panels

Advice and guidance for using solar thermal panels

The Energy Saving Trust has lots of top tips about reducing the amount of energy you use. Residents in Peterborough can also talk to LEAP for advice about energy at home.
 

Should I clean my solar panels?

Rain is usually enough to keep panels clean. Don’t be tempted to use any power washers or detergents on the panels.

Solar panels generate electrical power by converting the sun’s rays into energy. This is clean and green energy. The cells don’t need direct sunlight to work and can make electricity even on a cloudy day.

Our installers maintain these panels remotely for you. However, if you think there is a problem or it is not working correctly, please report this to us.