Our Obligations

Possession

We will make sure that you have full possession and exclusive use of your home at the beginning of your tenancy.

Your right to live in your home

We will not interrupt or interfere with your right to live in your home peacefully unless:

  • We need access after giving you 24 hours’ notice (except in emergencies) to inspect the condition of your home or to carry out repairs or other work to your home or to other properties nearby;
  • We are entitled to possession at the end of your tenancy agreement;
  • We have a court order to evict you from your home;
  • We need access during the last four weeks of your tenancy (e.g. to show your home to a new tenant);

or

  • We need to check on your safety or welfare if we have reasonable cause for concern.

Repairing the structure and outside of your home

We will keep the structure and outside of your property in good repair including external decorations. However, we are not responsible for any repair or replacement needed because of damage to or neglect of your home caused by you, anyone living with you or your visitors.

Repairing installations

We will repair and maintain any installations we have provided for heating, water heating and sanitation and for supplying water, gas and electricity. We are not responsible for any repair or replacement needed because of damage to or neglect of your home caused by you, anyone living with you or your visitors.

Repairing and maintaining shared facilities

We will take reasonable care to repair and maintain any shared facilities including lifts, stairways, halls, shared lighting, rubbish chutes and any other shared areas.

General repairs

Apart from general repairs for which you are responsible (see ‘Your obligations as a tenant’) we will carry out all repairs within reasonable timescales. We have agreed minimum timescales with the TMOs. These will be reviewed from time to time after consulting tenants.

General Repairs
Emergency Urgent Standard
To be attended to within 3 hours and carried out within 24 hours. Any disrepair that causes an immediate threat to the safety, security or health and safety of occupants or members
of the public.		 To be carried out within
3 to 5 working days
(unless estimates/
tenders are required)
Any disrepair that is causing serious inconvenience to the
occupants or likely to cause further problems to the home.		 To be carried out within
25 days. Any disrepair that is not urgent or an emergency.
Examples include: Examples include: Examples include:
  • Central heating not working (between 31st Oct & 1st May)
  • Making front and back doors secure
  • Dangerous roof tiles
  • Blocked drains
  • Continuous overflow
  • Burst tank
  • Total loss of electricity
  • Unsafe power or lighting socket, or electrical fitting
  • Serious water leaks
  • Gas leaks
  • Dangerous electrical faults
  • Total loss of water supply
  • Total or partial loss of gas supply
  • Blocked flue to open fire or boiler
  • Total or partial loss of space or water heating (between 31st Oct and 1st May)
  • Blocked or leaking foul drain, soil stack or (where there is no other working toilet in the home) toilet pan
  • Toilet not flushing (where there is no other working toilet in the home)
  • Leaking from water or heating pipe, tank or cistern
  • Insecure external window, door or lock
  • Repairs to cookers supplied by WHC
  • Central heating not
  • working (between 30th
  • Apr and 1st Nov)
  • Rotten timber flooring
  • Leaking roof (but will be made safe as soon
  • as possible)
  • Partial loss of electricity
  • Minor plumbing 
  • (e.g, a leak that can be contained)
  • Partial loss of water supply
  • Total or partial loss of
  • space or water heating
  • (between 30th Apr and 1st Nov)
  • Blocked sink, basin or bath
  • Tap which cannot be turned
  • Loose or detached
  • banister or handrail
  • Door entry phone not
  • working
  • Mechanical extractor
  • fan in internal kitchen or bathroom not working
  • Floor tiling
  • Replacing sink, wash basin or bath
  • Easing doors and windows
  • Minor fencing works
  • Replacing or repairing hinges
  • Replacing or cleaning
  • extractor fans
  • Broken kitchen units
  • Broken tiling
  • Leaking gutters

Regulatory code and housing association applicants & residents charter

We will give you information about our housing management policies as required by the Homes & Communities Agency's (HCA) regulatory code including our performance standards and the charter for housing association applicants and residents.

Data Protection

We will comply with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018 & the UK Data Protection Bill.

Services

We will provide the services agreed with you. We will not make changes to the services provided without consulting you and your local TMO.

Insurance

We will insure your home (the building not the fixtures and fittings) for a sum we feel is appropriate. Please note that we do not insure your furniture and personal provisions. We would encourage you to take out ‘contents’ insurance for this. WATMOS is part of a tenant contents insurance scheme. The staff at your local TMO can provide you with more information about this, alternatively please see here  whg Home Contents Insurance 2021.pdf 326KB