The different categories of repairs

When you report a repair to us, we will tell you what category we consider the repair falls into and the estimated time we will take to deal with it as set out below.

Emergency Repairs

These are repairs which affect the health and safety of the householder or basic security of the property.

We aim to attend to emergency repairs within 24 hours to make sure your health and safety is not at risk or to avoid damage to the building structure, any follow on works will be attended to within our repair timescales.

Examples of emergency repairs include the following:

• Total loss of electrical power *
• Total loss of water supply *
• Total loss of gas supply *
• Gas leak *
• Loss of electrical power to lights or sockets
• Unsafe light fitting or electrical sockets or fittings
• Total loss of water heating
• No heating in the winter months from 1 November to 30 April inclusive
• Blocked or leaking foul drain or soil stack
• Blocked or leaking toilet pan (where there is no other working toilet in the premises)
• A tap that cannot be turned off or isolated
• Leaking roof
• Insecure external window, door or lock
• Burst pipe
• Fire alarm activation
• Lift failure
• Insecure window (at ground floor level)
• No lighting in communal /shared areas
• Serious leaks that cannot be contained (water tank, pipe or cistern)
• Serious damage by fire flood or storms
• Removal of obscene or racist graffiti
• Door entry failure ( where there is no other means of access to the building)

If you experience problems out of hours with the services highlighted with an asterisk* in the Emergency Repairs section above, you should contact the appropriate utility service serving your area (electricity, gas or water board) to establish if the problem is related to a major service failure, before calling our emergency numbers.

Thames Water 0800 316 9800 or report a leak here

UK Power Networks 0800 316 3105

What to do if you smell gas

If you have a suspected gas leak or your carbon monoxide detector is activated you should contact Cadent on 0800 111 999 immediately.

• Do turn off the gas at the meter unless the meter is in a cellar/basement
• Don’t smoke or strike matches
• Don’t turn electrical switches on or off
• Do put out naked flames
• Do open doors and windows
• Do keep people away from the area affected.

In the event of a fire you should dial 999 to call the Fire Service and follow the fire safety procedure for your building or the instructions given by the Fire Service.

Urgent Repairs

These are repairs which are not classified as an emergency but which result in the loss of a basic facility or where further damage will occur if the problem is not dealt with.

We aim to attend and complete urgent repairs within seven calendar days of the repair being reported.

Examples of urgent repairs include the following

• Toilet not flushing (where no other working toilet in the house)
• Blocked sink, bath or basin (only if you are unable to clear this yourself)
• Taps which cannot be turned on
• Running overflows
• Stopcock problems
• Door entry phone not working
• Electrical extractor fan in internal kitchen or bathroom not working
• Insecure window (above ground floor)

Non urgent repairs

If your repair is non-urgent, you can email details 24 hours a day 7 days a week to maintenance@innisfree.org.uk

Please make sure you include the following:

• Your name
• Your address
• Your contact details [preferably a mobile number]
• Where in your home the repair is required
• Details of the repair
• Any inconvenient times, however, please note we cannot guarantee times for repairs
• A photograph if possible

These are repairs that can wait without causing major inconvenience to you.

We aim to attend and complete non-urgent repairs within 28 calendar days of the repair being reported.

Examples of non-urgent repairs include the following

• Repairs to/easing of windows, internal doors (including cupboard doors) which do not close properly but are not a security risk
• Repairs to sanitary goods
• Minor leaks (which can be contained)
• Repairs to letter boxes
• Re-glazing (where there is no risk to security)
• Dripping taps
• Repairs to kitchen units, worktops or drawers.
• Defective guttering
• External repairs to fencing ,gates, paths, manhole covers brickwork or roofing (where there are no structural or health and safety issues)
• Non-urgent electrical work(loss of a single light or socket)
• Appearance of cracks
• Graffiti removal (unless obscene or racist)