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Hunter Community Housing - Repairs and Maintenance Policy

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Section 1 - Purpose 

(1) Hunter Community Housing’s Repairs and Maintenance Policy outlines our commitment to the delivery of responsive maintenance on the properties managed under Hunter Community Housing. 

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Section 2 - Scope 

(2) Hunter Community Housing is responsible for ensuring maintenance and repairs to properties managed by Hunter Community Housing are completed according to priority response times based on the nature and urgency of the work required and facilitating maintenance and repairs to leased properties through the agent or owner.

(3) Responsive maintenance is categorized under four different timeframes dependant on the nature and urgency of the repair. Action may include making safe and/or replacement of the faulty item within these timeframes.

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Section 3 - Principles

Responsive timeframes

(4) Timeframes for completion of maintenance are as follows: 

Response Category Response Time Definition
Emergency 4 hours
An emergency repair is any issue presenting an imminent risk to safety, risk to the tenant or public, a critical security risk for the tenant, or any issue likely to result in further significant damage to the property. These actions may also include making safe as needed or appropriate.
Issues may include:
♦ gas leak;
♦ burst water pipe;
♦ sewer/septic overflow into premises;
♦ major electrical fault; or
♦ significant threat to premises or person.
Urgent  24 hours
Our definition of Urgent repairs is reflected in the Residential Tenancy Act . Should any of these items also constitute a safety, security or significant damage they will fall into the category above.
Issues may include:
♦ broken window;
♦ hot water heater failure; 
♦ stove or oven failure; or
♦ external lock failure.
Non-urgent 7 days
Any repair that is not a safety or security or significant damage risk and is not defined as an urgent repair in the Act, can be considered a routine repair. It is expected that a contractor will attend and completely make good routine repairs within 7 days.
Issues may include:
♦ general repairs that are unable to wait for planned maintenance cycle;
♦ leaking taps; or
♦ internal door failure.

(5) Required repairs or maintenance are to be reported via our call centre or our website. Urgent repairs should be reported via telephone to ensure a timely response.

(6) A maintenance request will be raised by a Hunter Community Housing staff member which will include all necessary information, and will either be forwarded through to our maintenance team where the priority for completion will be allocated, and a work order issued to the required contractor or Hunter Community Housing will advise the agent.

(7) Where Hunter Community Housing has organised maintenance that is not considered the result of fair wear and tear, or where the property has been damaged intentionally or through neglect by the tenant, or failure to allow access for repair, then costs will be passed on to the tenant.

(8) If you believe that you have experienced poor workmanship or poor customer service from contractors sent to your property by Hunter Community Housing, this should be reported directly to the Hunter Community Housing office as well as any excessive delays. You can report such concerns via our call centre, email or via the Hunter Community Housing Website. 

Access to the property for repairs

(9) Hunter Community Housing will only enter a property in the following circumstances:

  1. in an emergency (including to carry out an urgent repair);
  2. with the prior consent of the tenant;
  3. in accordance with any NSW Civil & Adminstrative Tribunal Orders;
  4. should Hunter Community Housing believe the property is abandoned;
  5. to inspect the premises, providing the tenant is given 7 days’ notice; or
  6. to carry out necessary repairs, providing the tenant is given 2 days’ notice on each occasion.

(10) The below circumstances outline when Hunter Community Housing cannot enter a property:

  1. on a Sunday or Public holiday without the prior consent of the tenant;
  2. outside the hours of 8 am to 8 pm unless the tenant agrees; or
  3. without prior arrangement made with the tenant except in the event of an emergency (including to carry out urgent repairs).

Modifications and additions

(11) All requests for modifications and additions will be referred to the owner of the property for their decision.

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Section 4 - Appeals and Internal Review

(12) If a tenant disagrees with a decision made by Hunter Community Housing in relation to repairs and maintenance, they should firstly discuss their concerns with a Hunter Community Housing staff member.

(13) If a tenant is still dissatisfied , they have the right to request an appeal.

(14) An appeal is a request to have a decision reviewed.

(15) The Hunter Community Housing – Appeals and Itnernal Review Policy outlines the process for appeals.

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Section 5 - Responsibilities

(16) The General Operations Manager – Housing is responsible for implementation of this policy.

(17) Staff are responsible to ensure they have read, understood, and comply with the policy.

(18) The Diocese Governance Department is responsible for managing the review process and publication of this policy.

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Section 6 - Document Review 

(19) This policy will be reviewed when there is a legislative change, organisational change, delegations change or at least every 3 years to ensure it continues to be current and effective.