Repairs – who’s responsible?
This page tells you what repairs we’ll carry out as part of your tenancy, and what you are responsible for.
Jobs that we’ll do
These are the repairs that we’ll carry out on your property. All you need to do is report the problem, and we’ll be out to you as soon as we can.
Plumbing
✔️ Repair bath or sink
✔️ Replace broken bath panel
✔️ Fix blocked bath, shower or sink
✔️ Repair seals or sealant
✔️ Fix burst pipes or leaks
Joinery
✔️ Fix broken door hinges
✔️ Repair fixtures and fittings (only if provided by SYHA)
✔️ Fix walls, floors and ceilings
Electrics
✔️ Fix wiring problems
✔️ Replace power sockets
✔️ Fix power or lights
✔️ Electric immersion heaters
✔️ Hard-wired smoke alarms
✔️ No heating or hot water
Gas
✔️ Relight pilot light
✔️ Sweep chimney
✔️ Repair fireplace (broken gas fires will be replaced with electric fires)
✔️ Fix broken heating and hot water
✔️ Repair pipes or appliances (if provided by SYHA)
Internals
✔️ Fill/repair major cracks
✔️ Fix doors and frames
✔️ Repair doorbells (if hard wired)
✔️ Maintain communal areas
Externals
✔️ Repair/replace window frames
✔️ Fix drains, gutters and downpipes
✔️ Maintain garages
✔️ Paint external structures
Please see below for more information about repairs to boundary walls and fencing.
Jobs that you’ll need to do
Some of the smaller repairs or maintenance jobs aren’t included in your tenancy agreement, so you’ll need to do them.
Plumbing
❌ Replace plugs and chains
❌ Replace toilet seats
❌ Replace shower curtains
❌ Unblock external drains (contact your local water authority)
Joinery
❌ Replace lost or stolen keys and fobs
❌ Fit additional security locks
❌ Fit laminate flooring
❌ Fit window locks
❌ Reglaze broken windows (unless you can provide a crime reference number)
Electrics
❌ Replace fluorescent tubes and starters
❌ Reset tripped fuse box
❌ Replace fuses and plugs
❌ Replace light bulbs
❌ Electrical appliances and white goods (including hobs and ovens)
❌ Battery-operated smoke alarms
Gas
❌ Bleed radiators
❌ Repair gas cookers
Internals
❌ Painting and decorating
❌ Fill small cracks in plaster
❌ Replace curtain poles and tracks
❌ Fit doorbell (battery operated)
❌ Door adaptations
❌ Damage caused by you or your guests
Externals
❌ Fix satellite dish or aerial (except communal ones)
❌ Install/fix shed
❌ Fit/repair washing line or rotary dryer
❌ Order new bins
❌ Garden maintenance
Other
❌ Pest control inside or outside the property (contact your local authority’s environmental health department)
❌ Anything you have installed yourself
Repairs to Boundary Walls and Fencing
We will consider repairing boundary walls and fencing only where we (SYHA) have erected them. Fencing and boundary walls that we did not erect will not be repaired or maintained by us, but we may be able to remove them if this is your preferred option.
Where we have the responsibility to maintain and repair, an inspection will be carried out by our Property Services team to review the extent to which we can repair the existing boundary wall or fence. If we cannot repair the existing fence or boundary wall, we will agree to remove the damaged fencing or to repair up to a maximum of three 4ft wooden fencing panels. We may consider exceptions to this if the damaged fencing opens onto public highways, or if it prevents a significant health and safety risk.
