Repairs and maintenance
We want to keep your home in a good condition so you can enjoy living there. Our repairs service is provided by Axis. This section explains how you can report a repair, who is responsible for different types of repairs, and how quickly the work will be carried out.
You can contact Axis:
By Phone: 0800 783 2768 (freephone) or 0203 597 2067
By Text: 07786 205 096
By E-mail: swanresidents@axiseurope.com
Landlord responsibilities
We will repair and maintain the structure and outside of your home as well as any installations we have provided for heating and hot water, sanitation, water, gas, electricity and safety. If any item we are responsible for is damaged or removed by you, members of your household or visitors, we will charge you for the cost of repairing or replacing the item. If you have moved into a newly built home, for the first year any repairs due to faulty materials or the standard of work are the responsibility of the developer. This period is known as the defects liability period and some minor repairs may not be carried out until after this period has ended.
Tenant responsibility
You are responsible for a number of repairs to your home, including internal decorating and minor repairs, such as clearing blocked sinks and toilets and replacing your toilet seat. However, for older and disabled tenants we may in some circumstances carry out some repairs and decorating that would normally be the tenant’s responsibility. You must look after the fixtures and fittings in your home and make sure the property is secure at all times. When you first move in you should familiarise yourself with the location of your stopcock in case you need to turn off your water supply in a hurry. Pests found within your home, including rats, mice, cockroaches, ants and fleas are your responsibility. You should contact your council’s pest control department if you would like a visit from someone regarding any pests in your home. Please note the council may charge you for this service.
Improvements
You have the right to improve your home, but you must get our permission in writing before you do. Improvements that you need our permission for include:
• Installing a new kitchen or bathroom
• Putting up a satellite dish or CCTV camera
• Decorating the outside of your home
• Adding to or replacing any of the fixtures or fittings inside your home
• Erecting an extension, porch or conservatory
• Any building work, including the relocation or removal of walls and internal door
• Any electrical work or gas work
• Any work which creates a hole between your home and the communal parts of the building or an internal landlords service riser
• Constructing a hard standing or driveway. We will not refuse permission without a good reason and we will expect you to get the work carried out to a good standard
You must also get any other approvals you may need for the work, such as planning, listed building or planning permission
Repair timescales
Repairs that are our responsibility are categorised as follows:
Immediate – these repairs are to make your home safe and will be carried out within 4 hours.
Emergency – these are repairs such as when you have lost the use of a hot-water system and will be carried out within 24 hours.
Standard – these repairs include things like fixing kitchen units, bath panels and extractor fans. They will be carried out within 15 working days.
Planned – these repairs include guttering and replacing misted double glazed windows and will usually be carried out within 45 days.
Please note the replacement of some key items considered as improvements will be included in longer-term plans and will fall outside these categories.
If you can't find the information you need, or want to talk to us to report a repair you can call 0800 783 2768 or 0203 597 2067. You can text repairs to 07786 205 096 or e-mail swanresidents@axiseurope.com. If you have an emergency outside office hours you should phone us immediately and our out-of-hours team will make sure that your home is safe. Please note they might not be able to complete the full repair and may have to attend your home again during normal working hours. It is important you remember that this service is for emergencies only. You can make an appointment for a non- emergency repair to be carried out any time between 8am and 6pm on weekdays and between 8am and 2pm on Saturdays.
Missed appointments compensation
If a Swan or Axis employee fails to attend an appointment, you may be eligible for a £20 compensation payment.
This cannot be claimed if you’re advised 24 hours beforehand that the appointment has been cancelled.
If a further appointment is missed, you will receive another £25 compensation payment.
If any more appointments are missed for the same job, you will get £50 in compensation per missed appointments.
To get this payment, you must have been available to allow access to your home during the appointment time. It must have been a pre-booked appointment.
Here you can find information on asbestos.
Here you can find information on damp, mould and condensation.