Repairs

You can report a repair by:

  • calling: 0800 953 1447 (8am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Only emergencies should be reported outside these hours and at weekends).

  • fax: 01245 613001

  • minicom: 01245 613188

  • e-mail: repairs@chp.org.uk (non-urgent only)

  • visiting: Atholl House, 65a Duke Street, Chelmsford, CM1 1LW

  • writing to: CHP, Myriad House, 23 Springfield Lyons Approach, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 5LB

Please note:

  • We may need to inspect the repair problem before we can schedule the work;
  • Outside of office hours we will attend emergency repairs during the normal timeframe;
  • We may charge you if you misuse the out-of-hours service for attendance to repairs that are not an emergency.
  • If you cause the damage, or if repairs cannot be regarded as fair wear and tear, you may be charged for the cost of the repair;
  • You are advised to take out contents insurance;
  • Please only use the online reporting form for repairs that do not need an emergency response. If you have an emergency repair please call 0800 953 1447.

How we classify repairs

We will give each request for a repair a priority based on its urgency. Our categories and response times are:

  • Emergency: within 24 hours

  • Urgent: within five calendar days

  • Routine: within 21 calendar days

Emergency repairs are defined as faults which could not have been foreseen and could cause serious damage to the fabric of the property or danger to health or life. IMPORTANT: we may charge you if you misuse the out-of-hours service for attendance to repairs that are not urgent.

The out-of-hours repairs service (available after 4pm and before 8am Mon - Fri, all day Saturday and Sunday) is for emergencies only.

Urgent repairs are those that may affect your comfort and may cause some damage to the building if left too long. Although these are not emergencies, we will deal with them quickly.

Routine repairs are those that can be deferred without serious discomfort, inconvenience or nuisance to you or a third party, or long-term deterioration of the building.

Programmed repairs

Programmed minor works - day-to-day repairs that we do not consider urgent. These will be carried out with other non-urgent work in the same area, for example guttering and fencing.

Planned - work that is not urgent and that we can carry out over time, for example roof renewals.

Cyclical - Work that needs to be carried out repeatedly for health and safety reasons, for example electrical tests and gas servicing.

Dealing with your repair request

If you phone to report your repair we will explain how quickly we will deal with it and will offer you an appointment while you are on the phone.

When reporting a repair it will help us deal with it quicker if you give us a clear description of the problem. We may need to inspect the problem before we can carry out the work. If so, one of our staff will visit within 10 working days from the date you contact us.

All trades staff carry identification cards and you should ask to see it before letting them in to your home.

If you are out when an operative calls, a card will be left asking you to contact us to arrange access.

Our responsibilities

We are responsible for making sure the property's structure, exterior, fixtures and fittings are safe, weatherproof and fit for human habitation. This includes maintenance of the following:

  • Drains, gutters and pipework;
  • Electric fittings and wiring (but not fuses or appliances);
  • Fitted water and central heating systems;
  • Installations for the supply of services;
  • Basins, sinks, baths and WCs
  • Roof, external walls, doors and windows;
  • Internal walls, floors and ceilings (but not minor plaster work);
  • Chimneys, chimney stacks and flues (but not sweeping);
  • Main pathways, steps and other means of access;
  • Communal areas of apartments and retirement schemes.

If you would like to know more about fittings and systems we provide - and how they operate - download the Gadget Guide (pdf).

We will also keep in good repair and proper working order:

  • Community alarm services in retirement schemes;
  • Communal TV and satellite systems;
  • Garages and external stores;
  • Boundary walls, gates and fences.

Your responsibilities:

You are responsible for:

  • Keeping your property clean and in decorative order;
  • Keeping your garden area tidy and free of rubbish;
  • Taking reasonable precautions to prevent damage once a repair has been identified;
  • Allowing us access to your property to carry out an annual gas safety check and any necessary inspections;
  • Reporting any criminal damage or vandalism to the police and getting a Police Crime Report Number;
  • Any appliance or alternative fixtures you have installed;
  • Any damage caused by members of your household or visitors.

We may be able to do help if you can't carry out your responsibilities although you will be charged for this. If you are elderly or have a disability, some repairs may be carried out without charge. For full details of your rights and responsibilities contact us.