Repairs
At your sign up, you will receive a repairs handbook, please refer to that for more details, including our response time (depending on the nature of the issue), and how to let us know if something needs repairing.
As a tenant, you are responsible for some repairs including:
- Internal decoration
- Repairing minor cracks in plaster
- Loose screws on cupboards, windows, handles,doors and gates
- Arranging installation of your own gas or electric cooker and washing machine. Either a gas or electric point will be fitted
- Curtain rails and maintenance of blinds
- Extra keys to your home
- Shower curtains and poles
- Carpets and laminate flooring
- Doorbells and safety chains
- Plugs and chains to sinks or baths
- Blockages to sinks, toilets, and drains due to misuse
- Toilet seat and lid
- TV aerials
- Garden sheds
- Garden paving and patio areas, apart from main access pathways
- Garden maintenance
- Internal light bulbs
- Electric meter and supply
- Bleeding radiators
- Gas meter and supply
A full breakdown of repair responsibilities is available on our website.
There are some tenant self-help videos on our website which could help you to carry out a minor repair.
Anything outside of this list needs reporting to the council for the repairs team to carry out.
The council has a legal duty to complete the repairs it is responsible for and ensure your safety, so it is important that you let us know what needs fixing as soon as possible.
Reporting repairs
- Visit our report a repair page
- Telephone: 0345 200 0102 (24 hours) Only emergency repairs will be accepted and dealt with out of hours. For more information on this, check your repairs handbook.
- Email: repairs@northtyneside.gov.uk
- Call into your local community hub
Chargeable costs
It is your responsibility to repair any damage caused by you, your family, visitors, or pets. We can carry out these repairs for you, but you will have to pay the cost to do so.
If the repair has been caused by vandalism, you will need to report the incident to the police to get a crime reference number before reporting the repair to us. Without this, you will be charged for the repair.
A cost may also be applied if the required work sits outside the responsibility of the landlord. More information on this can be found in the repairs handbook.
Home insurance
We strongly advise you to take out home contents insurance. This will cover you against damage to your personal belongings, carpets, furniture, and other household items. This includes fire or flood damage.
More information on tenants content insurance.
Condensation, mould and damp
Condensation can be found in corners of a room, behind large pieces of furniture, on and around windows and doors. It happens when there is little ventilation, or poor air circulation, or where excess moisture combines with cold surfaces. Condensation can lead to mould.
Tips for reducing condensation:
- Open windows and keep internal doors closed to contain moisture, especially when cooking and showering
- Use extractor fans and air vents in your home
- Put lids on pans when cooking
- Dry clothes outside where you can, if you must dry clothes inside do not put wet washing on a radiator, use a clothes airer and make sure it is near an open window
- Leave a gap between furniture and the wall, and try to place it along internal walls
- Keep your home warm, around 18-21 degrees
To get help with reporting possible condensation, damp and mould, you can ask our contact centre to use the video tool. Like a Facetime, you can use your phone camera to show the repairs service the affected area and they will assess and determine the best course of action.