Responsibilities and response times
The Council has pre-assigned categories for prioritising repairs. The response time for each category is determined by the severity of the problem and the likely impact and risk to the resident.
| Repair priority | Example | Response time (working days) |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency |
Burst pipes, no power to property, broken window requiring boarding up, insecure front door, loss of drinking water. (Where there is a serious safety hazard/the immediate risk of more extensive damage to a property or the potential to cause injury, the Council will treat this as a critical case and aims to attend within 4 hours). |
Within 24 hours |
| Urgent | Minor leak that can be contained, faulty extractor fan in kitchen or bathroom (if no window in room), faulty shower. | Within 5 days |
| Routine | Renewing ties, sealant to bathtubs and sinks, repairs to plaster, toilet not flushing (when there is another working toilet in the property). | Within 20 days |
| Planned | Replacement of kitchen units, bath tubs, sinks and wash hand basins. Roof repairs requiring scaffolding. | Within 90 days |
Repair responsibilities
Repair obligations and responsibilities are outlined in tenancy, lease and license agreements. Residents are responsible for keeping their homes in good order and informing the Council when repairs arise that are within the Council’s responsibility.
Although the Council is responsible for carrying out the majority of repairs to tenants’ homes, there are certain repairs which tenants are responsible for. The table below gives an indication of the responsibilities of both the Council and the tenant.
| Repair/Issue | Responsibility | |
|---|---|---|
| RBKC | Tenant | |
| Gas, electricity and water supply to the property, and inside the property where this is not the responsibility of the utility supplier. | ✓ | |
| The structure of the property including the roof, outside walls, kitchen, front and back doors, windows, gutters, down pipes and drains. | ✓ | |
| Communal fences depending on the ownership of the adjacent property. | ✓ | |
| Outbuildings, sheds and coal bunkers, where originally put up by the council or the ex-KCTMO. | ✓ | |
| Existing central heating, water heaters and fires (where provided by the council). | ✓ | |
| Internal walls, floors, floor coverings (not floor coverings other than the bathroom and kitchen) and ceilings. | ✓ | |
| Replacement of sanitary fittings like toilet seats, plugs and chains to baths, basins and sinks. | ✓ | |
| Window catches, sash cords and window frames. | ✓ | |
| Chimney stacks and flues. | ✓ | |
| Communal areas including lifts, pathways, stairs and play areas. | ✓ | |
| Kitchen units, air vents and extractor fans (where provided by the Council). | ✓ | |
| Fitting or replacing, latches, chains, bells, spy holes or extra locks. | ✓ | |
| Clearing minor blockages to drains or waste pipes caused by disposal of unsuitable matter like cooking fat, and sanitary items. | ✓ | |
| Internal decoration of property. | ✓ | |
Leaseholder responsibilities
The table below gives a basic indication of the general responsibilities of both the Council and the leaseholder.
For a definitive list of responsibilities, the leaseholder should refer to their individual lease. If there is a specific repair issue in mind, the leaseholder can contact the customer service team, who will either refer them to the Responsive Repairs Team or the Homeownership Team, depending on the issue, for advice.
| Repair/Issue | Responsibility | |
|---|---|---|
| RBKC | Tenant | |
| Gas, electricity and water supply to the property, and inside the property where this is not the responsibility of the utility supplier. | ✓ | |
| The structure of the property including the roof, outside walls, kitchen, front and back doors, windows, gutters, down pipes and drains. | ✓ | |
| Front and internal doors. | ✓ | |
| Communal pipes (such as blockages and leaks from these pipes). | ✓ | |
| Pipes used exclusively within the flat/property (blockages and leaks by these pipes). | ✓ | |
| Blockages and leaks (in their internal demise). | ✓ | |
| Communal fences (depending on what the lease states). | ✓ | |
| Outbuildings, sheds and coal bunkers, where originally put up by the Council or the former TMO. | ✓ | |
| Existing communal central heating. | ✓ | |
| Internal walls and all floor coverings. | ✓ | |
| Window frames (metal or UPVC frame). | ✓ | |
| Floors and ceilings. | ✓ | |
| Repair/replacement of glass, window catches, sash cords. | ✓ | |
| Replacement of whole window unit (glass + frame). | ✓ | |
| Chimney stacks. | ✓ | |
| Communal areas including lifts, pathways, stairs and play areas, estate lighting. | ✓ | |
| Existing communal fire alarms and sprinklers. | ✓ | |
| Kitchen units, and other furniture, fixtures and fittings, and extractor fans. | ✓ | |
| Internal decoration of property. | ✓ | |