Repairs, maintenance and improvements

You may be able to get help with adapting your home to help you stay independent.

Home adaptations can include:

• minor changes such as adding stair rails
• major changes such as widening doorways so you can use a wheelchair

Ask for an assessment from Adult Social Services if you need to adapt the property for yourself or for someone in your household.

Check what support you could get to help you at home for example installing special equipment.

Check if you could get a home improvement grant to adapt your home.

Council tenants must tell their Housing Officer about plans to adapt the property.

Council tenants

You must get permission from Redbridge Council to make alterations to the property if you are a tenant. This includes changing the bathroom tiles or putting up a television aerial.

Contact your Housing Officer for more information.

Leaseholders

You can make home improvements to your property if you are a leaseholder. You will need permission from Redbridge Council to make some alterations.

Find out more about what alterations you can make and what you need to do.

Gas safety checks

All rented properties must legally have the gas appliances in the property serviced every year. This is called the Landlord Gas Safety Check.

The Council is responsible for the gas safety check if you are a tenant. You must let us into your home to do the check.

Leaseholders renting out (sub-letting) their property to a tenant must arrange for a Landlord Gas Safety Check every year.

Find out about gas safety checks at Redbridge.

Other safety checks

The Council will carry out other checks and inspections to keep the estates and properties safe.

These include:

• Electrical safety
• Fire risk assessments
• Fire doors
• Legionella risk assessments (sometimes called water risk assessments)
• Stair lifts

We will contact you if we need access to your property to complete any of the above checks.

Lift servicing

Redbridge Council works with a specialist contractor who is a member of the Lift and Escalator Industry Association, to service the lifts.

We service the lifts regularly to make sure they are safe.

We inspect all council estates at least once a year. This includes internal and external areas as well as rubbish (refuse) facilities.

We provide a cleaning and grounds maintenance service to communal areas on estates and some council managed street properties.

Cleaning

We clean the commual areas in housing blocks at least once a week if you live on a council estate.

Some areas with high footfall are cleaned daily.

We clean the glazing in communal areas 4 times a year which includes:

• the glass on the front and rear entrance door
• internal glazed panels
• fire doors

We do not clean the windows on properties.

Grounds maintenance

Our estates grounds maintenance service includes:

• cutting the grass
• trimming hedges
• pruning shrubs, roses and borders
• clearing overhanging plants from pathways

Find out more about how we look after council estates and how you can help to keep them to a high standard.

Major works are large repair and maintenance jobs on council properties and estates.

This includes:

• replacing external windows
• replacing communal doors
• replacing rainwater goods
• roof and chimney renovations
• external wall renovations

Major works also include painting communal areas and the external building.

We have to ensure our housing stock is maintained to meet legal standards.

Major works take place when we have the funding to do the work.

Unless it is an emergency, the Council will write to you about any major works before they take place.

Check how major works affects leaseholders

Redbridge Council will consult with you on any planned major works that cost more than £250 to you as a leaseholder, or £100 if it is a long-term agreement.

You will be charged if there are major repairs that have to be made to your home under the terms of your lease.

Find out more about major works or improvements including:

• the consultation process
• who has to pay
• what happens if things go wrong

Check how the Decent Homes Standard affects council tenants

Council houses that are rented out to tenants must meet the government’s Decent Homes Standard.

This means that the essential parts of the property should be in a suitable condition for the property’s age.

Essential parts of the property include:

• the roof
• windows
• electrical wiring
• heating
• kitchen and bathroom

We will usually replace the kitchen and bathroom if:

• the kitchen is over 20 years old
• the bathroom is over 30 years old
• both are in poor condition

We have an ongoing major works programme in place which ensures that we meet the Decent Homes Standard.

Work is carried out depending on the age and condition of the property.

Find out more about the Decent Homes Standard for social housing.