Repairs Charter

Nottingham City Homes, who run the city’s council houses, has recently signed up to a new national repairs charter.

City Homes director of property services Mark Johnson said: “By signing up to this charter we are showing our customers that we want to aim for the best possible repairs service.”

The charter, developed by the Chartered Institute of Housing, helps social landlords focus on good-quality repairs.  Whilst it is designed for social landlords, it has many aspects which can be taken on board by private rental sector landlords, as a “good practice guide” for dealing with repairs.

The charter aims to ensure value for money and that the housing stock is kept in good condition.

It is a flexible framework to help identify what outcomes a good quality repairs service can deliver.  It is not a regulatory tool, but is designed to be used as a basis for internal challenge (for example, through tenant scrutiny, peer or independent reviews).

There are 6 core principles underpinning the repairs charter for housing:

1. Sign up is voluntary and based on self assessment

2. It has been developed using sector experience

3. It is flexible and can be tailored to suit the outcomes that matter to you and your tenants

4. It is focused on outcomes, not processes

5. It drives sector-led improvement

6. It complements existing frameworks or initiatives