Repairing, maintaining and improving homes
Repairing, maintaining, and improving homes
We know how important it is for your home to be warm, safe, and comfortable to live in.
We responded to the new legal requirement to install carbon monoxide alarms in 2022–2023 and kept up our continuous efforts to clear the backlog of repairs from the Covid period.
How we performed
Between April 2022 and March 2023, we spent around £20.6m on responsive repairs, maintenance, and improvements.
99.02%
of emergency* repairs responded to within 24 hours (17,153 of 17,322).
53.65%
of urgent** and routine*** repairs completed within seven (urgent) or 21 (routine) days (17,257 of 32,168).
95.78%
of repairs appointments kept (9,449 of 9,935).
363
boilers and heating systems installed at a total cost of £2.3m.
185
kitchens and bathrooms installed at a total cost of £1.73m.
333
electrical rewires in properties at a total cost of £1.62m.
£2.39m
spent on installing fire safety measures such as new doors and windows, fire doors and fire stop work.
4,610
repairs from our Covid backlog completed.
*Emergency repairs are incidents that could result in an immediate risk to the property or health and safety of people, for example uncontrollable leak or exposed wiring.
**Urgent repairs need to be dealt with quickly but don’t present an immediate risk to property or people.
***Routine repairs are those which don’t need to be dealt with quickly but cannot be left until we start a planned programme.
Our carbon monoxide alarm programme
Since 1 October 2022, we had a legal responsibility to ensure a carbon monoxide alarm is fitted in every home where there is a fixed gas appliance. Ensuring we met the change in the law and providing greater safety for our customers.
We were able to ensure we had alarms fitted by the end of October 2022 in instances where we were able to gain access to the home. This work did impact overall service delivery as we reprioritised existing and new repairs which enabled us to meet the deadline.
Tackling the Covid repairs backlog
One of the key elements for 2022/23 was to reduce the numbers of repairs that had escalated through the Covid pandemic period when we had to change the way we work.
Our new Backlog Team, formed in 2022, is working through the backlog faster than expected. We expect to clear the original backlog of 4,650 repairs on or before the December 2023 target. The team has also been supporting our inspections service and we've implemented a new team to inspect and resolve pest issues.
In addition to responding to the above emergencies, we have achieved high response targets for emergency repairs and appointments kept. Our Responsive Repairs Team delivered an additional 6,762 repairs compared to the previous year.
Dealing with extreme weather
In December 2022, the extreme cold weather created a surge of heating repairs and the subsequent thaw meant just under 1,000 properties required an emergency call out. 60 of these properties suffered severe water damage and required extensive repairs.
Again, we used our resources and reprioritised new and existing repairs to provide an emergency response to the floods, which included over 40 temporary home moves enabling our tenants to have warm and secure properties while repairs were carried out.
Prioritising damp, condensation and mould issues
We’ve always had a proactive approach to identifying and dealing with issues of damp and mould within our homes. However, following the inquest into the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who very sadly died due to prolonged exposure to mould at his home in Rochdale, we’ve reviewed and strengthened our processes.
This ensures we swiftly evaluate any reports of damp, mould or condensation, and quickly remove any health risks while we investigate the root cause of the problem and complete any repairs required. Get information for damp, condensation and mould issues here www.boltonathome.org.uk/damp-condensation-mould
Developing and investing in people and skills
Addressing some skill gaps and labour shortages is big part of our plan to improve our repairs and maintenance service. We've already completed the recruitment of 12 new apprentices and we’re now taking on five more apprentices. These apprenticeships offer great career opportunities. You can keep up to date with our latest vacancies on our website at www.boltonathome.org.uk/jobs
Our plan to improve repairs and maintenance
We really appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding over recent years. We understand the impact the repairs backlog continues to have on our customers, and how frustrating it can be while waiting for repairs to be completed.
We’re still impacted by supply chain issues and rising costs of materials, which can delay repairs. Fortunately, we have exceptional relationships with our suppliers, and they’re working hard on our behalf to get materials quickly while providing value for money.
As part of our Covid recovery plan, we implemented a Backlog Team dedicated to clearing the backlog and providing excellent customer service. The team is trialling new ways of working to reduce the number of visits needed to complete a repair and reduce missed appointments.
Any newly reported repairs will continue to be completed by our Responsive Repairs Team.
We continue to provide our existing gas and electrical repairs service, planned heating upgrades, electrical rewires and our cyclical safety checks (annual gas servicing, five-year electrical safety checks, annual electrical servicing, communal door knocks, and servicing of communal boilers).