Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Head of Housing and Health presenting a single, new policy document providing clarity for tenants, the RSH and MDH more widely as to what our repairs service will provide and how it meets the Standard requirements.

The Group had before it a report * from the Head of Housing & Health presenting a new policy with regards to Mid Devon Housing Repairs and Maintenance.

This was an amalgamation of 5 or 6 other policies and an attempt to bring them altogether under one umbrella. It was hoped that the new policy would also bring clarity to tenants.

Discussion took place regarding:

·         The need to inform neighbours, if possible, if significant repair and maintenance works were to be carried out such that would impact them in terms of a communal access to and from their own properties. Some sort of warning would be helpful. It was confirmed that this could be added to the procedure going forwards where possible.

·         The definition of the different types of repair and what constituted as a ‘minor repair’ and where the tenant was responsible was listed in each tenant handbook.

·         Assistance was offered for those tenants who could not undertake minor repairs (such as changing a light bulb) themselves. It was stressed that this was only offered on a cost recovery basis not to make a profit in any way.

RECOMMENDED to the Cabinet that:

It recommends to Council that the new MDH Repairs and Maintenance Policy and Equality Impact Assessment be adopted.

(Proposed by the Chair)

Reason for the decision

As set out in the report.

Note: * Report previously circulated.