Housing repairs policy
Policy statement and objectives
We recognise that providing an excellent repairs and maintenance service that is responsive to tenants needs and offers a good standard of repair, is a key tenant priority. However, the service also needs to be cost effective, eliminating unnecessary spend and waste, to maximise funding for the capital works programme as set out in our Housing Investment Plan (HIP), for example, to support funding to ensure homes achieve the 'Decent Homes Standard' and to support the decarbonisation of housing stock.
Delivering a comprehensive, timely capital works programme, will also achieve more cost-effective component replacement, such as replacing windows, or kitchen units and reduce component failure. This in turn will minimise unnecessary and uneconomic repair work, freeing up more funding for the capital programme, thus creating a virtuous circle of capital investment and cost-effective repairs and maintenance.
To do this we will provide a 24-hour, 365 day per year responsive repairs service, as well as cyclical and planned maintenance programmes and our objectives will be to:
- achieve top quartile performance for tenant satisfaction with the repairs service
- become an exemplar in meeting our statutory and regulatory obligations for repairing and maintaining customers' homes, including our Damp and Mould Policy
- build the skills, capacity and resources to deliver a sustainable high level of service so that the service develops, attains and attracts a high-quality workforce
- minimise unnecessary cost and waste in responsive repairs, achieving top quartile performance on repairs carried out first time
- provide an accessible and accountable repairs and maintenance service that reflects Great Yarmouth Borough Council's commitment to equality and diversity
- take any proportional extra steps required to support the needs of our most vulnerable customers