Your lease sets out where responsibility for the different types of repairs lie. The following is for guidance only.
Your Responsibilities
You are responsible for all repairs inside your flat or house, including:
- Internal walls.
- The front door to your property.
- Glass in the windows.
- Decoration.
- Electricity wiring and fittings.
- Plumbing, including pipework and fittings.
- The central heating system, including servicing of the boiler.
- Any external pipes or services, if they serve your property exclusively.
Our Responsibilities
As the freeholder we are responsible for repairs and maintenance of:
- The communal areas.
- Communal windows, including glass.
- Window frames in each flat.
- The roof.
- The foundations.
- Communal electric wiring and fittings.
- Shared drains.
- Gutters and downpipes.
- Communal water supply pipes up to the main stopcock.
- Shared front and back doors.
- External shared areas, including gardens, courtyards and roof terrace.
- Refuse-disposal facilities.
Repairs listed as our responsibility will be carried out by us or by our contractors and the costs will be charged to the service charge account.
If you cause damage (other than wear and tear) in the communal areas, even if the damage is accidental, you will be asked to either repair the item yourself or pay us to carry out the repair.
Reporting Repairs
If a repair is needed to an area or item that is our responsibility, please report the repair on our Freephone Repairs Line, 0808 178 6785 (from a mobile it may be cheaper to call our main switchboard on 0208 778 6699) or by emailing hexagonrepairs@gilmartins.co.uk
Improvements to Your Property
If you wish to make alterations or improvements to the inside of your property you need to let us have details and get our permission in writing before starting work. We will not refuse permission on unreasonable grounds. There may be a charge for us to consider your request. You should not make any alterations to the outside of the building or to the communal areas. If necessary, you should ensure that you get any required Building Regulation and Planning Permission and let us have a copy before starting work. You will be sent a copy of the audited account.
Defects to New Builds
Your home is in a “defects period” for 12 months from the date construction finished. During this period any defects will be dealt with by the Development Team Administrator.
- When you move into your home we’ll tell you the date the defects period for your home is due to expire.
- You can report defects by phoning 020 8768 7960, to defects@hexagon.org.uk or in writing.
- We’ll provide you with a resident manual when you move into your home that will give you information about how to operate your appliances, where to find important equipment and who to contact to report defects.
- We’ll complete defect repairs within the following timescales:
- Emergency repairs within 24 hours
- Routine repairs within 28 days
Details of what constitutes an emergency or routine repair will be contained within the resident manual.
- We’ll provide an emergency repairs service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Outside of office hours defects should be reported by phone to 0800 393 338. Non emergency defects will be repaired during working hours; Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am and 5pm.
- We’ll tell you the contractor’s company name and contact details.
- We’ll report your defect to the contractor within 24 hours of receiving the information Monday to Friday.
- When our contractor has finished a repair they will leave your home clean and tidy.
- Our contractor will leave a calling card if you are not home when they visit.
- Our contractor will check that the work has been completed to your satisfaction.
- We’ll visit your home just before the end of the defect period and ensure that everything covered by the defects is to your satisfaction.
- If you are unable to stay home for the defects inspection, we’ll offer you an alternative appointment between Monday and Friday between the hours of 9am and 5pm.
