Repairs

Looking after your home is a joint responsibility. We are responsible for most, but not all, repairs within your home. But it’s down to you to take care of your home, report any repairs as soon as possible and repair anything which is your responsibility.

Repairs are carried out by Templer HomeBuild, using specialist contractors where required.

  • Routine ‘by appointment’ repairs will be completed within 30 days. If a repair requires an inspection from a Surveyor, these repairs may take up to 42 days to complete.
  • Emergency repairs will be completed within 24 hours. Please note that you must be available at the property from the moment the emergency repair is logged with us until we have attended and made it safe. See the list of emergency repairs below.

To report a repair, call Teign Housing on 01626 322722, option 2, or report online under the “I Want To” section of the website. If you have an emergency repair, this must be reported by telephone and not online. Outside office hours this number will automatically divert to our 24-hour cover service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Emergency repairs usually are defects that put the health and safety or security of the resident or a third party at immediate risk. Emergency repairs may also be carried out if the structure of the building is at risk.

This could include:

  • Total loss of water
  • Burst water main
  • Flooding
  • Severe storm damage
  • Total loss of electricity supply
  • Major fault with the electricity supply
  • Unsafe electrical fittings
  • Breaches of security to outside doors and windows
  • Total loss of gas supply
  • Gas leak
  • Blocked flue
  • Blocked main drains, soil pipe or only toilet
  • No hot water
  • Loss of entire heating provision in cold weather (or 1 October – 31 May) or if you are elderly, disabled or chronically sick, or if you have children under five years old
  • Serious roof leaks and other major structural failures
  • Failure of lift
  • Failure of alarm system
  • Fire damage
  • Offensive or racist graffiti.

You are responsible for some repairs under your tenancy agreement.

You are responsible for things like changing light bulbs and unblocking drains. You are also expected to take reasonable care of your home, such as ensuring there is adequate ventilation and your home is regularly cleaned.

Some of the key things you are responsible for include:

  • Blockages in sinks, showers, baths and toilets
  • Chains and plugs on basins, baths and sinks
  • Decoration inside the home
  • Domestic appliances, such as cookers, fridges, washing machines and dishwashers
  • Fences, unless it forms a boundary to roads or footpaths
  • Fixture and fittings such as coat hooks and curtain rails
  • Floor coverings, including adjusting doors after having carpet fitted
  • Garden maintenance, if you have sole use of the area
  • Infestations of ants, wasps, bees, cockroaches and fleas. You are also responsible for mice and rats in your garden
  • Internal door locks
  • Relighting of a pilot light on a boiler
  • Replacing lightbulbs and tubes
  • Replacing lost keys or getting access to your home if you’re locked out
  • Resetting trip switches and fuses
  • Tap washers
  • Telephone points
  • Toilet seats
  • TV aerials and sockets, unless it is a communal aerial.
  •  Washing lines unless they are communal, in which case we will repair and maintain them. 

If you suspect rodent activity, please do contact us. We have a specialist free service, which allows an expert to attend quickly and resolve the issue safely.

We know residents have used poison to address pest issues, but sadly, this means that although the rats die, it can cause a smell and hygiene issue as they decompose under floorboards and can’t be removed without significant work.

So, if you find a rodent in your home, do call us in the first instance on 01626 322722, option 2.

If the pest issue is not in your home but in your garden or street, Teignbridge District Council has a pest control service. Visit their website for more information.

If you don’t live in Teignbridge, each local authority area has advice:

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