Resident Responsibilities

This section includes information about what resident respnsbilities are as part of the tenancy agreement with Mercian Housing Association, including allowing access and keeping homes well maintained.

Contractors will always present ID
Access

You must give Mercian, its agents and/or contractors, access into your home within 24 hours of receiving notice (except in the case of an emergency when you must give access without notice into your home).

Decorations

You must maintain the internal condition and decoration of your home to a reasonable standard.

Notice of repairs

When Mercian visits to inspect or carry out a repair and you are not in, a calling card is left asking you to arrange another appointment. If you do not reply within three days, your repair request may be cancelled and you will need to report the repair again. If emergency work is needed we may use our right of access to gain entry into your home.

Shared owners/leaseholders

Leaseholders and shared owners are responsible for all repairs; however, some details may vary for residents of flats with communal areas. Residents should check their lease carefully for exact responsibilities.

Looking after your home, estate, furniture and making good damage

You must take reasonable care to keep your home and any of Mercian's furniture, fittings, fire and burglar alarms in good condition, as well as replace their batteries. You are responsible for repairing any damage to your home, estate or any of Mercian's furniture and fittings caused by you or others living with you, or visiting you. If you do not repair the damage Mercian is entitled to carry out the work and re-charge you.

Dangerous items

You are not allowed to keep or allow someone else to keep any flammable substance including bottled gas heaters and paraffin or oil heaters in your home.

Alterations

You cannot make any improvement, alteration or addition to your home or estate or erect any internal or external structure to your home without first obtaining Mercian's written consent. You must keep to any conditions attached to Mercian's consent when making improvements, alterations and additions to your home.

Graffiti

You must not write graffiti on any part of your home and/or estate.

Qualifying repairs

Apart from exceptional circumstances, you are responsible for certain repairs within your home.

These repairs are:
• Replacing keys and/or locks when keys are lost
• Pest control, ants, mice, rats, wasps and bees etc.
• Replacing light bulbs, fuses and starters to fluorescent lights
• Oiling hinges
• Washing lines to houses
• Adjusting doors when new carpets are fitted
• Replacing batteries in smoke and burglar alarms, doorbells and testing
• Resetting electrical trip switches
• Relighting boiler pilot lights and bleeding radiators
• Fixing curtain batons
• Wilful damage
• Minor plaster cracks (less than 5mm wide)
• Connecting domestic appliances
• Cleaning drains and removing minor blockages to sanitary appliances
• Maintenance of any equipment you install
• Toilet seat replacement and plugs and chains
• Re-glazing windows, except where there has been criminal damage.
You will be re-charged for a repair if it is found to be your responsibility.

Possible items that could be re-charged are:
• Lost keys
• Blown fuses or cartridges in consumer units
• Re-glazing a window, except where there has been criminal damage
• Unblocking of sanitary ware
• Abortive calls following appointments

We will take action to reclaim these repair costs if they are not paid.

Last modified 12/09/11